抄録
This study was conducted for obtaining information about the seed germination of Coptis japonica MAKINO, a species which is endemic to Japan and cultivated as one of the important medical plants in north central part of Japan. The seeds of this plant are known to be dormant at the time of maturity and require a period of storage in imbibed state for after-ripening. Our storage experiment has shown that when the freshly harvested seeds were buried in June in the soil until November at natural temperature condition under eaves, they could become well germinable, but those which were stored under constatnt temperatures of 6°, 10°, 15°, 20° and 25°C with moist sand have entirely lost their germinating power. The optimum temperature for germination of after-ripen seeds of this plant proved to be about 5°C, although about four months were needed for full germination when sown in early December. At 10°C or higher temperatures its germination was markedly retarded. Gibberellin was known to be very effective in promoting germination and also in weakening inhibitory effect of high temperature. KNO3 was also found to promote germination, though not so markedly, but kinetin and IAA were entirely ineffective on germination. When the seedlings just after sprouting in early spring were planted in a green house, they could develop 10 to 11 leaves by August and a part of them flowered in the following early spring.
