Summary of research project and seed bank activities
In the framework of the research project "Taxonomical investigations on the endemic species of the Sicilian flora" partially funded by MAVA, many studies have been carried out on the endemic flora of Sicily, as well as on some poorly investigated critical groups. These researches have been chiefly focused on the systematics and nomenclatural aspects, using karyological, chorological, macro- and micro-morphological, carpological and seed germination data. As concerns the activities specifically related to the germplasm, seeds were collected and stored in the seed bank after pre-treatments and treatments according to the ENSCONET protocols. Besides, germination tests of some species collected within the MAVA project started. The species were chosen among those whose initial pre-test was successful. For the pre-test, 20 seeds of each species were placed in a Petri dish with agar substrate and stored at 25°C 12/12 without any pre-treatment and treatment. Among those species that showed satisfactory values of germination, some taxa to be tested following the standard germination protocols were chosen. In particular, Petri dishes of 20 seeds were prepared and incubated at different temperatures (e.g. 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°C) both in light and dark. The germination tests on these species are still on-going, while for those species whose germination percentage is low or zero some pre-treatments and treatments of seeds will be implemented.
Photo: Cristian Brullo while is monitoring seed germinations in the growth chambers (Photo: D. Torrisi)