Orthodox seed monitoring

We have been monitoring orthodox (small) seeds in Camino de los Mineros in the lower area of Sierra Lujar at about 500mtrs and another sowing area near Órgiva.

A small experimental sowing was done to be able to ratify that the methodology we are using works.

We sowed seeds of: mastic trees, aladiernos, alepènsis pine, carob and broom; species that we have studied a lot.

Two sowings were made with seeds with different treatments, with and without priming:

150 seeds were primed with priming treatments. With the arrival of the rains they were pre-germinated in the laboratory and sown in soil after the rains. Of all the seeds sown, 67% of the seeds germinated.

90 seeds were not primed, but pre-germinated and only 10% germinated.

These are good results as we can say that we have controlled the success of germination in the field of the orthodox seeds that we have well studied. We expected 55% germination and we got 65%. We can also say that we have controlled the success in terms of seed predation by animals and insects.

What we don't know yet is what survival will be like after the summer. This is very much influenced by the climate each year: temperatures, rainfall...; as well as other factors such as how we sow the seeds: the nutrients we use, mycorrhizae,

This is what we want to look at in more depth next year.