EFFECT OF SEED PROVENANCE ON SEED TRAITS OF CAKILE EDENTULA (BRASSICACEAE), A COASTAL DUNE STABILIZING SPECIES

Background: The morphological traits and germinative behavior of seeds vary within a species in response to multiple factors. Knowledge of this variability is important in understanding adaptation of species to environmental conditions. Question: Does the provenance of seeds of Cakile edentula affect seed traits? Does the climate of the sites of origin of the seeds influence their variability? Does the presence of light affect seed germination? Study species: Cakile edentula (Bigelow) Hook. Study site: Coastal dune vegetation on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in August and October 2017. Methods: Seeds of Cakile edentula were collected in different locations on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Under laboratory conditions it was assessed whether the origin of the seeds influenced some traits such as seed mass, moisture content, viability and germinative behavior. Results: Seed provenance significantly affected seed mass and moisture content in C. edentula. Moreover, the seeds of C. edentula collected from hot and humid sites germinate quickly and in greater proportion than the seeds from warm and dry sites of the Yucatan Peninsula. The seeds of C. edentula germinate preferably in darkness, regardless site of provenance. Conclusions: Some seed traits of C. edentula are affected by the site of provenance. Evidence suggests that climatic variation is likely to influence the initial characteristics of the life history in this coastal dune species.