• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.3 s.107
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• pp.163-170
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• 2002

In order to analyze the life cycle of A. artemisiifolia var. elatior dormancy and some environmental factors inducing germination of the seeds were examined. The results were as follows : Dormancy of fertile seeds was broken in part within a month after seed collection in case of adequate moisture and alternating temperature was also effective in breaking dormancy. The temperature range, which allow germination was $12^{\circ}C{\sim}32^{\circ}C$. Optimum temperature for germination was $24^{\circ}C$. The seed of A. artemisiifolia var. elatior was light-independent. The difference of storage period appeared to have no particular effect on the viability of seeds at any time during the 9-month storage period. In the increasing temperature(IT) regime, A. artemisiifolia var. elatior seeds started to germinate at $16^{\circ}C$, showing the higher temperature the greater germination rate : the final germination percentage was 99.34%. On the other hand, in the decresing temperature(DT) regime, seeds began to germinate at $20^{\circ}C$ with the 1.34% germination. An induced dormancy occurred at $12^{\circ}C$ making the 5.34% final germination in the DT regime. Low temperature was more effective to break dormancy than higher temperature. Seeds of A. artemisiifolia var. elatior seems to be germinated in mid to late autumn or germination delayed until following spring. The above results suggest these variation of germination response in diverse environmental factors seems to be a physiological strategy to maintain their existence and to reproduce in the extreme thermal variation.