Silene baccifera (L.) Roth, belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae and the genus Silene, is a perennial herb that grows naturally in mountainous and field areas throughout Korea. The young shoots are edible, the whole plant is used medicinally, and the small star-shaped flowers have high ornamental value. Although this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) in the Korean Red List, studies on propagation and basic physiological information remain insufficient. This study was conducted to establish a foundation for propagation using seeds and to elucidate germination characteristics. Seed dissection revealed that the embryo was fully developed and of the peripheral type according to Martin’s classification, indicating the absence of morphological dormancy (MD). A 72-hour imbibition test showed a water permeability was 39.8 ± 2.26%, indicating the absence of physical dormancy (PY). The optimum germination temperatures were 20/10 °C and 25/15 °C, showing high germination percentage of 86.6% and 81.6%, respectively. As a result of GA3 treatments (0, 10, 100, and 1000 mg·L-1), the final germination percentage at 15/6 °C with GA3 1000 mg·L-1 was 47.6 ± 6.7%, compared with only 5.06 ± 2.9% in the control. Therefore, it is concluded that S. baccifera seeds possess physiological dormancy (PD). The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the systematic development of propagation and long-term conservation strategies for Silene baccifera.

Gueldenstaedtia verna (Georgi) Boriss., a rare legume species native to limited parts of Korea, was studied to investigate its seed dormancy type and optimal conditions for its germination. Morphological and anatomical observations confirmed that the seeds possess a fully developed foliate-bent embryo and a hard, colliculate yellow seed coat. Water imbibition tests showed only a 5.1 ± 2.6% increase in seed weight after 72 h, indicating the occurrence of physical dormancy due to an impermeable seed coat. No germination occurred under any constant or alternating temperature regimes (4, 15/6, 20/10, or 25/15°C) in non-scarified seeds, nor under two seasonal simulation regimes (Move A: from winter to summer; Move B: from summer to winter). However, scarification of seeds (using sandpaper, a needle prick [0.1 mm depth], or sulfuric acid) significantly improved germination. Seeds scarified with sandpaper or a needle prick achieved 100% germination within 1 week at 25/15°C, while sulfuric acid treatments (5 and 10 min) resulted in germination rates of 13.3% and 58.3%, respectively. These results confirm that G. verna seeds exhibit physical dormancy only and require scarification for immediate germination, with relatively high temperatures (25/15°C) being most effective. These findings deepen our understanding of the seed ecology of this rare species and provide useful insights for its conservation and potential horticultural application.

This study aimed to identify the optimal storage and germination conditions for producing sprouts from immature bulbils of the Korean garlic cultivar ‘Hongsan’. It also evaluated the effects of LED light quality on sprout growth and compared the functional compound contents across different plant parts. Germination trials indicated that storing bulbils at 4°C for at least 64 days, followed by germination at 10-20°C, yielded the best results. Under mixed LED light treatments (Red:Blue:White), a red-dominant ratio of 4:1:0 significantly enhanced both shoot and root elongation, while germination in darkness resulted in the highest fresh and dry weights. Among the plant parts, sprouted bulbils had the highest alliin content (3,711 mg/100 g) and contained greater levels of fructose and glucose compared to cloves. Conversely, cloves had the highest fructan content, and leaves exhibited the highest total polyphenol content. These findings underscore the importance of combining proper storage and light quality for efficient sprout production from bulbils and highlight the potential of sprouted bulbils as functional food materials.

본 연구는 상수리나무(Quercus acutissima) 종자의 발아 효율성과 유묘 생장 특성을 향상시키기 위하여, KNO3 priming 처리 시간(24, 48시간)과 농도(0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%)를 비교하여 최적 조건을 도출하고자 실시하였다. 충실 종자를 선별한 뒤 KNO3 용액에 priming 처리하여 발아특성과 유묘 생장특성을 평가하였다. 전반적으로 24시간-1.0% KNO3 처리구는 발아율, 발아속도, 발아균일지수 및 유묘 생장 특성에서 대조구보다 유의하게 높은 값을 보였다(p < 0.05). 그러나 농도가 높아지거나 처리 시간이 길어질수록 이러한 효과는 감소하여 대조구와 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. 이상의 결과를 종합할 때, 상수리나무 종자의 발아 및 초기 유묘 생장에 가장 효과적인 KNO3 priming 조건은 KNO3 1.0%, 24시간 처리인 것으로 판단된다.

This study evaluated the germination characteristics and predicted longevity of Weigela subsessilis, an endemic plant in Korea, under long-term seed bank storage. Seeds from 16 accessions were stored at –18 °C for 0, 5, 10, and 20 years, and their germination performance was assessed. The initial germination percentage (78.75%) remained stable after five years (79.67%) but declined significantly after ten years (62.90%). Two accessions tested after 20 years showed a steep reduction to 14.86%. MGT and T50 were stable, GI increased slightly, but PV and GV declined, suggesting dormancy release alongside reduced vigor. Seed longevity was predicted using Probit analysis The estimated initial viability (Ki) was 1.15, with a slope of –0.092, yielding a predicted P50 of 12.5 years (95% CI: 11.2–13.8 years). The confidence interval broadened with longer extrapolations, underscoring the uncertainty of projections beyond 15–20 years where empirical data remain limited. These results provide the first empirical evidence of viability decline in W. subsessilis seeds over two decades of storage. They highlight the need for systematic monitoring in seed banks, with testing recommended at five-year intervals beyond ten years of storage. Regeneration or recollection strategies should also be implemented as viability approaches critical thresholds. This study offers essential baseline data for developing conservation strategies for Korean endemic species and contributes to the sustainable management of native plant genetic resources.

본 연구는 바이오소재 자원으로 주목받고 있는 멀꿀(Stauntonia hexaphylla)의 안정적 재배 기반 마련을 위한 종자 프라이밍(Priming) 처리 효과를 평가하고자 수행되었다. 경상남도 진주시에서 채집한 멀꿀 종자를 대상으로 GA3, NH4NO3, KNO3, KH2PO4, PEG 등 다양한 프라이밍 용액과 농도 조건을 설정하여 발아율, 발아속도, 발아균일성 및 유묘 생육 특성에 미치는 영향을 비교하였다. 그 결과, KH2PO4 100 mM 용액에 24시간 침지 처리한 종자에서 발아율(86.4%)과 발아속도, 발아균일성 지수가 가장 우수하였으며, 초장, 지상부 생중량 및 유묘 활력지수에서도 유의한 향상을 보였다. 특히 단위면적당 지상부 수확량이 대조구 대비 약 2.14배 이상 증가하여 산업적 활용 가능성을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 KH2PO4 프라이밍 처리가 멀꿀 종자의 발아 촉진 및 유묘 생육 증진에 효과적인 전처리 방법임을 시사하며, 향후 멀꿀의 대량 재배 및 바이오소재 산업화에 활용될 수 있는 실용적 기초자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

Germination of chili pepper seeds is critical for crop yield and resource utilization. A high germination rate increases yield and effectively reduces resource wastage. This study collected 450 macroscopic images of chili pepper seeds and constructed a dataset for deep learning training through standardized germination experiments. Six deep learning models were evaluated to improve the chili pepper seed classification accuracy and germination rate. After comparing the performance of the models, MobileNet_v2 performed the best, not only having the fewest number of parameters but also achieving a 98.89% accuracy and 97.82% F1 score. The model improved the original germination rate from 87.33% to 100% on the test set, significantly optimizing the seed selection process

산마늘(Allium microdictyon)과 울릉산마늘(A. ulleungense) 은 수선화과(Amaryllidaceae) 부추속(Allium)에 속하는 다년 초 식물로 산마늘은 우리나라에서는 지리산, 오대산 등의 고산 지대, 울릉산마늘은 울릉도에 분포하고 있다. 본 연구는 산마늘 과 울릉산마늘의 휴면과 발아특성을 조사하여 효과적인 대량증 식법을 위한 기초자료를 제공하고자 수행하였다. 실험은 2021 년 7월에 강원도 정선에서 재배한 산마늘 종자와 2021년 8월에 울릉도에서 채종한 종자를 사용하였다. 수분흡수 실험결과, 산 마늘과 울릉산마늘 모두 수분흡수 3시간 만에 20% 이상의 수분 흡수율을 보여 물리적 휴면이 없는 것으로 판단하였다. 온도 처리(25/15, 20/10, 15/6, 5℃) 실험에서 패트리디쉬에 종자 를 치상 후 30일 이전에 5℃를 제외한 나머지 온도 처리에서 모두 발아가 나타났으며, 산마늘과 울릉산마늘 종자의 발아 적 온은 20~25℃인 것으로 확인되었다. 저온층적(0, 4, 8, 12주)처 리 결과, 산마늘과 울릉산마늘 종자 모두 발아율 향상에는 큰 효과가 없었지만, 저온층적처리 기간이 길어질수록 발아세가 증가하는 양상을 보였다. GA3 처리 결과, 산마늘 종자는 처리 농도 간 유의성이 나타나지 않았지만, 울릉산마늘 종자는 처리 농도가 높아질수록 평균발아일수 및 발아균일도에서 유의적인 차이를 나타냈다. 이러한 결과를 통하여 산마늘과 울릉산마늘 종자는 non-deep PD 유형인 것으로 판단된다.

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of elapsed time after air flow cutoff on the germination rate of Italian ryegrass seed with different moisture contents during natural drying on reclaimed land, Jangheung and Kimje of Korea from 2023 to 2024, respectively. Seeds with moisture contents of 15.3, 22.3 and 28.0% were placed in vinyl bag (30 × 40 cm) at storage thicknesses of 10, 15, and 20 cm, and air flow was cutoff for 48 h. Seed moisture content, seed temperature (℃) and germination rate were investigated at 12-h intervals. After 48 h of airflow cutoff during natural drying, seed moisture content did not significantly differ among storage thickness treatment (p>0.05). When Italian ryegrass seeds with moisture contents of 27~28% were stored under conditions with air flow cutoff at 15~20cm thickness for 48 h, the seed temperature reached up to 30℃ and the germination rate was excellent at around 70~80%.