Bulletin No. 9

Influence of seed size on germination and early growth of seedlings of Eucalyptus maculata Hook. f. and Eucalyptus sieberianna F.v.M.  R.J. Grose and W.J. Zimmer.  1958.  Forests Commission, Victoria.  10 pp.

SUMMARY

Seeds of four distinct size-ranges from a seed-lot of each of Eucalyptus maculata and Eucalyptus sieberiana were germinated at constant temperature on moist filter paper and in soil.

In soil and on filter paper the large seeds germinated faster than small seeds. On filter paper all size-ranges gave similar percentage germination, but the percentage emergence from soil for the smallest seeds of each species was lower than that for the larger size-ranges.

After seven weeks, percentage survival for seedlings derived from the smallest seeds of each species was lower than that for seedlings grown from the three larger size-ranges of seeds.

Size of seeds determined the absolute growth of seedlings for at least sixteen weeks after emergence.