The effects of GA3 and storage time on the germination of Epigaea gaultherioides (Ericaceae) seeds

Turkey is a country with diverse plant species and has significant potential in landscape planning. Epigaea gaultherioides (Boisse et Bal.) Takht. is a relic of the Black Sea (Euxine) province, aesthetic, and functional species indigenous to Northeastern Turkey and under the threat of extinction. The species should be cultured to ensure the permanence of the species with ex situ methods and employed in landscape planting design. The present study aimed to determine the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) and cold storage time on seed germination performance in E. gaultherioides. Cold storage was applied to the seeds at +4°C for 16 and 28 months and subsequently the seeds were soaked in GA3 (0, 100, 500 and 1,000 ppm) solutions for 24 hours. The findings indicated that E. gaultherioides seeds that were not treated with GA3 solutions did not germinate. However, it was determined that germination was low in seeds treated with 500 ppm GA3, and 80% of the seeds germinated when treated with cold storage at 25°C (24 h dark) for 16 months. The ANOVA revealed that there were statistically significant differences between germination percentage and mean germination times for various gibberellic acid doses and cold storage – time processes