Maternal effects on populations of Capsella bursa-pastoris (L) Med from Scandinavia and the Alps. In dependence of seed weight and the germination behavior of the maturation conditions in lowland and mountains

Abstract

Sister plants of Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Med. from the European lowland (1 population), from Scandinavia (4 populations) and from the Alps (7 populations) have been planted in 1985 in the Botanical Garden of Osnabruck (FRG, 90 m above sea level) and in the Alpine Garden Schynige Platte (Switzerland, 2000 m above sea level). Onset of flowering and harvest date have been noticed. The seeds which matured under different environmental conditions, have been weighted and seeded in unheated hotbeds in Osnabruck. Germination capacity and germination rate were recorded. Then individuals have been planted in a randomized block field experiment and the onset of flowering has been recorded. Scandinavian populations showed little correlation, when matured under lowland conditions, but more, when matured under alpine conditions. Within the populations from the Alps it was just the contrary. Heavier seeds germinated better under certain conditions, populations of Scandinavia when matured in the Alps and populations from the Alps when amatured in Osnabruck. Seeds of the Scandinavian populations germinated better when maturing in the mountains; under these conditions the populations of the Alps had lower germination capacity. When maturing in Osnabruck both groups germinated in between. The influence of maternal effects upon germination behaviour is evident, the reaction norm differs for populations from the Alps and Scandinavia.