Session VII - Flowers, seeds, the beginning

Total Time:

1 hour

Goals:

- To refresh the memories of the trainees about flowering cycles, pollination, seeds, seed germination, seed dispersal, basic seed storage and point out the lack of knowledge we have about seed germination and dispersal among many tropical species. To instruct the trainees in basic seed storage .

- Enable trainees to set up seed collection records.

- Conduct seed germination experiments.

- Look at small group process.

Overview

This session is a review of the flowering cycle and seeds from pollination to germination. It is necessary to start at. the beginning here as most trainees will have studied these cycles in North America and need to see the differences, particularly in tropical species. The trainees will also have "hands-on" experience in treating seeds (stratification and scarification) and setting up a simple experiment and keeping records.

Exercises:

1. Lecture on flowers & seeds
2. Germination experiment
3. Small group process

Materials

- flip charts, marker pens, tape
- 20 different varieties of seeds about 300 or 400 in all
- small plastic hays
- blotter paper or newspaper

Exercise I

Flowers & Seeds

Total time - 1 hour

Overview

Many of the participants will have learned in North American schools the cycles of flowering and seed development. However, the purpose of this lecture is to refresh their memories and have them relate the cycles to the Latin American forests and trees.

Procedures

Time	Activities
1 hour	1. Trainer/forester states that this morning is a quick refresher for everyone and invites a botanist in the group to join in and add his/her comments throughout the lecture. It is recommended that the following outline he put on newsprint and trainees follow it as lecture is given.

FLOWERS

1. Many different types.
2. Complete flowers - bisexual.
3. Staminate (male) flowers and pistillate (female) flowers on same tree, monaecius (pines; Douglas-fir).
4. Staminate and pistillate flowers occurring on separate trees (willow; poplar).
5. Polygamo - monoecius - complete flower plus staminate and pistillate flowers on same tree (Buckeye).
6. Polygamo - Dioecious - perfect flowers plus either staminate or pistillate flowers (Buckthorn).

Note: All of the above type trees can hear seeds except the dioecious tree that produces staminate flowers.

FLOWERING CYCLE/SEED MATURITY POLLINATION

Staminate Flower

Pistillate Flower

Pollinators

a. wing
b. Insects
c. Birds
d. Others- mice, bats

Two nuclei penetrate the ovule and double fertilization occurs.

1. One fertilization unites to egg forms embryo.
2. Other fertilization unites with two polar nuclei to form endosperm.

SEED

I. Mature Seed

A. Three - six months after fertilization
B. 1 year after fertilization - Pine
C. Some take more time

II. Formation

A. Mature embryo embedded in endosperm (endosperm can be small or absent).
B. Seed coat (integument) forms around the ovule.

III. Embryo = Germ

A. Composed of:

1. Seed leaves - Cotyledon - mostly two (palms 1, pines 4+)

a) manufacture food or
b) have stored food

2. Bud - Plumule
3. Stem - Hypocatyl
4. Rudimentary root - radicle
5. Seed Coats

a. hard (Pines)
b. soft
c. leathery (Cypress)

IV. Types of Seed

A. True seeds (from Pine)
B. Dry fruits; fruit is seed (oak)
C. Fleshy fruit (apple)

V. Ripening

A. Chemical change
B. Hardening
C. Dry
D. Color change

VI. Seed Dispersal

A. Wind

1. light seeds
2. Seeds w/wings

B. Mammals - Birds

1. Rodents
2. Animals

C. Water
D. Fish
E. Man

VII. Seed Collection - Records

A. Seed Maturity
B. Ripeness
C. When to collect

1. early collection - not ripe
2. late collection - few viable seeds left

D. Methods

1. climbing
2. clippers
3. cutters
4. shaking
5. logging
6. bamboo poles
7. collect off ground
8. spread sheet below tree

E. Seed Extraction

1. air dry
2. oven kiln
3. depulting
4. dewinging
5. floating
6. winnowing

*Note: Important in air drying that birds do not eat seeds. Air drying is also the most used and practical method.

F. Seed Treatment

1. burning
2. soaking
3. boiling
4. filing - soaking
5. cutting - soaking
6. tumbling - (with grit)
7. others

Internal dormancy (triggering internal chemical reactions) External dormancy ( seed coat permeability)

G. Germination

To Take Place

1. internal factor - ripe
2. external factor

a. moisture
b. temperature

3. dormancy
4. oxygen
5. light

H. Seed Storage

1. dry - cold: In sealed containers: Pine (pino), Cypress (Ciprés)
2. moist cold: Oak (roble), Maple (arce)

10 minutes

3. room temperature: Acacia (acacia), Eucalyptus (eucalipto)
4. other possibilities

a. partial vacuum
b. dry freeze
c. hole in the ground - bury in sealed plastic bags.

5. how does nature to it? peat moss (turba)
6. small containers

Exercise II

Germination Experiment

Total Time: 2 hours

Overview

The purpose of this exercise is to give trainees "hands-on" experience and to apply learnings from previous exercise. Trainees will also develop a record keeping system for their experiments which will reinforce learning from record keeping exercise of the previous day.

Procedures

Time	Activities
	1. Trainees are asked to form groups of three. Groups are given a variety of seeds .
	2. Groups are told that they are to figure out the best way to treat the seeds (scarify and/or stratify). They must decide three (different methods with at least two varieties of seeds. They are told the species.
Trainer's Note: The purpose of this exercise is not to furnish all the materials trainees need, but to have them find their own boiling water, sand paper, finger nail files etc., at the training site. Plastic hags, seeds and blotter paper are provided.
45 minutes	3. Trainees are told to figure out a record keeping system for the germination experiment.
15 minutes	4. Trainee/manager is identified; the groups are to report their data on progress of germination experiments to manager every three days.

Trainer's Note: Trainer or expert in seed management should present the most applicable procedures and record keeping system used for germination text. Obtain feedback on students' efforts.

Exercise III

Small Group Process

Total Time:

45 minutes

Overview

The purpose of this exercise is to look at small group process as compared to larger group process of the previous day. We also make use of feedback skills.

Procedures

Time	Activities
30 minutes	1. Trainers look at the process of their groups. They are told to give each other feedback on the following:
		a. leadership qualities
		b. participation
		c. what helped/hindered getting task done. Everyone must get/give feedback. While one is giving feedback to another, the third trainee observes the quality of the feedback and gives feedback on the quality and skill used for giving/receiving feedback.
5 minutes	2. Trainees are asked to compare working in a small group to working in a larger group.
5 minutes	3. Trainer lists on newsprint findings of various groups as to:
		- things that are harder,
		- things that are easier,
		- impact on individuals.
2 minutes	4. Trainer points out the greater responsibility of human interactions as trainees work together and become more skillful.