Seed Germination Behavior, Molecular Analysis of Four Populations of Arbutus andrachne Species from Greece, and Cultivation Practice for Producing High-Quality Plants

Arbutus andrachne, the Greek strawberry tree, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae native to the Mediterranean basin, and is a valuable phytogenetic resource. In the context of sustainable exploitation of A. andrachne, four Greek natural populations of species were selected and a detailed germination protocol, molecular analysis, and cultivation practices were reported herein for the first time. The 1 month period of cold stratification or the treatment with gibberellic acid resulted in similar patterns of seed germination over a wide temperature range for all four populations. Differences among the four populations were observed in five of six morphological traits measured in 1-year-old seedlings. The 2-year-old plants grown in plastic bags (2.26 L in volume) showed superior growth rates. Foliage, but not roots, of 2-year-old seedlings supplemented with mineral fertilizers had higher fresh masses than untreated seedlings. The four A. andrachne accessions exhibited more genetic variability within than among populations.

Automated summary

Arbutus andrachne, a valuable phytogenetic resource, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean basin. This study provided a detailed germination protocol, molecular analysis, and cultivation practices for four Greek natural populations of A. andrachne. Cold stratification or gibberellic acid treatment resulted in similar germination patterns for all populations. Morphological traits showed differences among populations, and plastic bag cultivation showed superior growth rates. Fertilizer supplementation enhanced foliage mass for 2-year-old seedlings. Genetic variability was found within populations rather than among them.