Abstract Detail

Conservation Biology

Chau, Marian [1], Kroessig, Timothy [2], Yamamoto, Cindy [2].

Effects of fruit maturity and post-harvest conditions on seeds of endemic Hawaiian lobeliads (Campanulaceae).

Hawaiian lobeliads (Campanulaceae) are a spectacular example of adaptive radiation, comprised of at least 164 taxa in 6 genera, all of which are found only in the Hawaiian Islands. Due to their endemism and isolation, at least half of the taxa have been assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. Seeds of species in the genera Brighamia, Clermontia, Cyanea, Delissea, and Lobelia have intermediate storage behavior, being sensitive to freezing. Many species can still be seed banked for 10 years or more refrigerated (5°C), but the combination of rarity and having intermediate seeds makes it critical to use best practices for collecting and handling fruits for ex situ storage. We tested the effects of fruit maturity and post-harvest conditions on two locally common species, Clermontia parviflora and Cyanea angustifolia, to inform conservation practices. Experimental harvest treatments for each species included immature (premature harvest timing), mature (ideal harvest timing), decayed on sphagnum moss (approximating natural decomposition in the field), and fermented in plastic bags (mimicking poor handling, anaerobic conditions). Effects of seed mass differed by species, with C. parviflora having significantly lower mass for immature seeds (P=0.0001), while C. angustifolia had significantly lower mass for bagged seeds (P<0.0001). Germination % was high and not significantly different for any treatment of C. parviflora, but was significantly lower than other treatments for bagged seeds of C. angustifolia (P<0.0001). Seeds initiated into tissue culture showed similar results in C. angustifolia. Results suggest that the Cyanea species was much more sensitive to poor post-harvest handling conditions than the Clermontia species. Seeds from all treatments were also desiccated and stored at three different temperatures to test future effects of harvest conditions on long-term storage. Results of this study will inform conservation practices for many rare and endangered species of Hawaiian lobeliads, and potentially other radiations of Campanulaceae, including threatened species with similar fruit types, in other parts of the world.

1 - Lyon Arboretum, University Of Hawai'i At Manoa, Hawaiian Rare Plant Program, 3860 Manoa Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, United States
2 - Lyon Arboretum, University Of Hawai'i At Manoa, Hawaiian Rare Plant Program, 3860 Manoa Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

Keywords:
Campanulaceae
seeds
Collection
ex situ
Seed Germination
fruit.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 40, Conservation Biology I
Location: 106/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Wednesday, July 25th, 2018
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: 40010
Abstract ID:858
Candidate for Awards:None