title: Further evidence from the effect of fungi on breaking Opuntia seed dormancy.
abstract: Recently, we found that fungi are involved in breaking seed dormancy of Opuntia streptacantha, and that the effect of fungi on seeds is species-specific. However, the effect of fungi on seed germination from other Opuntia spp has not been evaluated. Thus, we evaluated the effect of four fungal species (Penicillium chrysogenum, Phoma sp., Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma koningii) on the germination of Opuntia leucotricha, an abundant species in the Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico. We found that seeds inoculated with the four fungal species had higher germination than control seeds. Trichoderma spp. were the most effective. Our results strongly indicate that fungi are involved in breaking seed dormancy of O. leucotricha. Thus, we suggest that these fungi could promote seed germination from other Opuntia species.
authors.affiliation: División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C. Camino a la Presa San José 2055, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delgado-Sánchez
authors.forename: María Azucena
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ortega-Amaro
authors.forename: Aída Araceli
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Hernández
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Bremont
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flores
mesh_terms: D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology*; D029747:Opuntia / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D057445:Plant Dormancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity