Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Smoke as a germination cue: a review

  • Published:
Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Slow combustion or burning of dry or green plant material from many sources produces volatile compounds that are water soluble and that stimulate the germination of many seeds with different dormancy strategies. The active principals are apparently produced around 160ndash;200 deg;C and are volatilized at higher temperatures. Once dissolved in water the active compounds also stimulate rooting, seedling growth and flowering. The positive effects of smoke have resulted in it being used as a seed pre-treatment for enhancing conservation of threatened or rare species, the horticultural exploitation of desirable plants and in the reclamation of mine spoils and disturbed land. Presently the identity of the active molecules is unknown but their remarkable effect on seed germination is, already widely utilized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baxter BJM, Van Staden J, Granger JE and Brown NAC (1994) Plant-derived smoke and smoke extracts stimulate seed germination of the fire-climax grass Themeda triandra Forssk. Env Exp Bot 34: 217–223

    Google Scholar 

  2. Baxter BJM, Granger JE and Van Staden J (1995) Plant-derived smoke and seed germination: Is all smoke good smoke? That is the burning question. S Afr J Bot 61: 275–277

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baxter BJM and Van Staden J (1994) Plant-derived smoke: An effective seed pre-treatment. Plant Growth Regul 14: 279–282

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bean, PA (1962) An enquiry into the effect of veld fires on certain geophytes. MSc Thesis, University of Cape Town

  5. Blommaert KLJ (1972) Buchu seed germination. J S Afr Bot 38: 237–239

    Google Scholar 

  6. Brits GJ and Brown NAC (1991) Control of seed dormancy in Leucospermum. Proc Sixth Biennial Conf Int Protea Assoc, Perth, Western Australia, pp 323–333

  7. Brits GJ, Calitz FJ, Brown NAC and Manning JC (1993) Desiccation as the active principle in heat-stimulated seed germination of Leucospermum R.Br. (Proteaceae) in fynbos. New Phytol 125: 397–403

    Google Scholar 

  8. Brown NAC (1993) Promotion of germination of fynbos seeds by plant-derived smoke. New Phytol 123: 575–583

    Google Scholar 

  9. Brown NAC (1993) Seed germination in the fynbos fire ephemeral, Syncarpha vestita (L.) B. Nord. is promoted by smoke, aqueous extracts of smoke and charred wood derived from burning the ericoid-leaved shrub, Passerina vulgaris Thoday. Int J Wildland Fire 3: 203–206

    Google Scholar 

  10. Brown NAC (1994) First the gas, now instant dehydrated smoke. Veld & Flora 80: 72–73

    Google Scholar 

  11. Brown NAC and Botha PA (1997) Smoking them out. The Horticulturists, J Inst Hort, London 6: 2–6

    Google Scholar 

  12. Brown NAC and Van Staden J (1994) Plant-derived smoke, a long-overlooked natural cue for seed germination: Clues to the physiology of the response to smoke. First Int Conf Plant Dormancy: Physiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Corvallis, USA

  13. Brown NAC, Botha PA and Prosch D (1995) Where there's smoke. The Garden J Roy Hort Soc, London. 120: 402–405

    Google Scholar 

  14. Brown NAC, Jamieson H and Botha PA (1994) Stimulation of germination in South African species of Restionaceae by plant-derived smoke. Plant Growth Regul 15: 93–100

    Google Scholar 

  15. Brown NAC, Jamieson H and Hitchcock A (1996) Conservation through cultivation. The Garden, J Roy Hort Soc, London. 121: 265–267

    Google Scholar 

  16. Brown NAC, Kotze G and Botha PA (1993) The promotion of seed germination of Cape Erica species by plant-derived smoke. Seed Sci Technol 21: 179–185

    Google Scholar 

  17. Brown NAC, Botha PA, Kotze G and Jamieson H (1993) Where there is smoke there's seed. Veld & Flora 79: 77–79

    Google Scholar 

  18. Brown NAC, De Lange JH, Van Staden J and Baxter BJM (1994) Plant-derived smoke an important newly-discovered natural cue for seed germination, current research and its application to Australian plant species. In: O'Connel KA and Barrett DR (eds) Proc Third Int Conf Environmental Issues and Waste Management in Energy and Mineral Production. Revegetation of Mine Sites Using Appropriate Species, pp 69–73. Perth

  19. De Lange JH and Boucher C (1990) Autecological studies on Audouinia capitata (Bruniaceae). I. Plant-derived smoke as a seed germination cue. S Afr J Bot 56: 700–703

    Google Scholar 

  20. De Lange JH and Boucher C (1993) Autecological studies on Audouinia capitata (Bruniaceae). VIII. Role of fire in regeneration. S Afr J Bot 59: 188–203

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dixon KW and Roche S (1995) The role of combustion products (smoke) in stimulating ex-situ and in-situ germination of Western Australian plants. Proc Int Plant Prop Soc 45: 53–56

    Google Scholar 

  22. Dixon KW, Roche S and Pate JS (1995) The promotive effect of smoke derived from burnt native vegetation on seed germination of Western Australian plants. Oecologia 101: 1850–192

    Google Scholar 

  23. Drewes FE, Smith MT and Van Staden J (1995) The effect of plant-derived smoke extract on the germination of light-sensitive lettuce seed. Plant Growth Regul 16: 205–209

    Google Scholar 

  24. Jäger AK, Rabe T and Van Staden J (1996) Food-flavouring smoke extracts promote seed germination. S Afr J Bot 62: 282–284

    Google Scholar 

  25. Jäger AK, Light ME and Van Staden J (1996) Effects of source of plant material and termperature on the production of smoke extracts that promote germination of light-sensitive lettuce seeds. Env Exp Bot 36: 421–429

    Google Scholar 

  26. Jäger AK, Strydom A and Van Staden J (1996) The effect of ethylene, octanoic acid and a plant-derived smoke extract on the germination of light-sensitive lettuce seeds. Plant Growth Regul 19: 197–201

    Google Scholar 

  27. Jamieson H and Brown NAC (1995) Restios with garden potential. Pacific Hort 56: 36–41

    Google Scholar 

  28. Jeffery DJ, Holmes PM and Rebelo AG (1988) Effects of dry heat on seed germination in selected indigenous and alien legume species in South Africa. S Afr J Bot 54: 28–24

    Google Scholar 

  29. Keeley JE (1993) Smoke-induced flowering in the fire-lily Cyrtanthus ventricosus. S Afr J Bot 59: 638

    Google Scholar 

  30. Keeley SC and Pizzorno M (1986) Charred wood stimulated germination of two fire-following herbs on the California chaparral and the role of hemicellulose. Amer J Bot 7: 1289–1297

    Google Scholar 

  31. Kings Park Staff (1994) Smoke, not fire may be the key to germination. (Newsletter of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation) Danthiona 3: 1 & 3

    Google Scholar 

  32. Kruger FJ and Bigalke RC (1984) Fire-fynbos. In: Pooysen P de V and Tainton NM (eds) Ecological Effects of Fire in South African Ecosystems, pp 67–114. Berling: Springer-Verlag

    Google Scholar 

  33. Musil CF and De Witt DM (1991) Heat-stimulated germination in two Restionaceae species. S Afr J Bot 57: 175–176

    Google Scholar 

  34. Olivier W and Werner W (1980) The Genus Cyrtanthus Ait. Veld & Flora 66: 78–81

    Google Scholar 

  35. Parmeter JR and Uhrenholdt B (1975) Some effects of pine-needle or grass smoke on fungi. Phytopathology 65: 28–31

    Google Scholar 

  36. Pierce SM, Esler K and Cowling RM (1995) Smoke-induced germination of succulents (Mesembryanthemaceae) from fire-prone and fire-free habitats in South Africa. Oecologia 102: 520–522

    Google Scholar 

  37. Roche S, Dixon KW and Pate JS (1994) Smoke — a new process for germinating Australian plants. Aust Hort 92: 46–47

    Google Scholar 

  38. Roche S, Koch J and Dixon KW (1996) Smoke-enhanced seed germination for mine rehabilitation in the south-west of Western Australia. Rest Ecol (in press)

  39. Strydom A, Jäger AK and Van Staden J (1996) The effect of plant-derived smoke extract, N6-benzyladenine and gibberellic acid on the thermodormancy of lettuce seeds. Plant Growth Regul 19: 97–100

    Google Scholar 

  40. Sutcliffe, MA and Whitehead CS (1995) Role of ethylene and short-chain saturated fatty acids in the smoke-stimulated germination of Cyclopia seed. J Plant Physiol 145: 271–276

    Google Scholar 

  41. Taylor JLS and Van Staden J (1996) Root initiation in Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek hypocotyl cuttings is stimulated by smoke-derived extracts. Plant Growth Regul 18: 165–168

    Google Scholar 

  42. Thanos CA and Rundel PW (1995) Fire-followers in chaparral: nitrogenous compounds trigger seed germination. J Ecol 83: 207–216

    Google Scholar 

  43. Thomas TH and Van Staden J (1995) Dormancy break of celery (Apium graveolens L.) seeds by plant-derived smoke extract. Plant Growth Regul 17: 195–198

    Google Scholar 

  44. Tompsett AA (1985) Dormancy breaking in bulbs by burning over. The Plantsman 7: 40–52

    Google Scholar 

  45. Van de Venter HA and Esterhuizen AD (1988) The effects of factors associated with fire on seed germination of Erica sessiliflora and E. hebecalyx (Ericaceae). S Afr J Bot 54: 301–304

    Google Scholar 

  46. Van Staden J, Drewes FE and Brown NAC (1995) Some chromatographic characteristics of germination stimulants in plant-derived smoke extracts. Plant Growth Regul 17: 241–249

    Google Scholar 

  47. Van Staden J, Drewes FE and Jäger AK (1995) The search for germination stimulants in plant-derived smoke extracts. S Afr J Bot 61: 260–263

    Google Scholar 

  48. Van Staden J, Jäger AK and Strydom A (1995) Interaction between a plant-derived smoke extract, light and phytohormones on the germination of light-sensitive lettuce seeds. Plant Growth Regul 17: 213–218

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecology and Conservation Biology Research Unit, National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735, South Africa

    N.A.C. Brown

  2. Natal University Research Unit for Plant Growth and Development, Department of Botany, University of Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

    J. van Staden

Authors
  1. N.A.C. Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. van Staden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brown, N., van Staden, J. Smoke as a germination cue: a review. Plant Growth Regulation 22, 115–124 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005852018644

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005852018644

Search

Navigation