ORIGINAL ARTICLE

An initial investigation of Otocarpus virgatus seeds germination an endemic, rare and threatened plant of Algeria

Otocarpus virgatus Durieu is an endemic plant, very rare to a very narrow distribution around the region of Saïda (Algeria) critically endangered, it has indehiscent fruits. The objective of this work is to study the influence of its fruit pericarp on the germination of seeds and effects of different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3) on the germination rate of isolated seeds or seeds in indehiscent siliques. The results of this study indicate that O. virgatus seeds have shallow physiological dormancy and pericarp significantly reduced germination, inhibition was not due to lack of water absorption by seeds but to chemical inhibitors and mechanical resistance .Exclusively in isolated seeds all concentrations of GA3 significantly increased the germination percentage and reduced the average germination time and no significant difference in the final germination percentages for the inside of the indehiscent siliques deals with the GA3. Our data provided useful information on germination protocols for the ex situ propagation of this endemic, rare and threatened species, being the first report on germination behaviour of seeds of this taxon.