High Andean Native Forest Seed Response to storage and drought states for restoration purposes

The Government of Ecuador in recent years has undertaken restoration programs, whose challenges are for example, 500,000 has restored nationally until 2017; This as part of the international initiative called "The Bonn Challenge". Within these challenges, the use of native species is fundamental, however, little is known about the ecology of seeds, production and establishment of field seedlings and the relationship with drought events. This research proposal aims to complete the information of two projects in execution financed by the DIUC where the fruiting periods of native species are studied in high Andean natural forests, its germination protocols and analysis of the quality of seed. However, little is known about the viability and germination of forest seeds of three species (Oreocallis Grandiflora, Weinmannia Fagaroides and Oreopanax SP), then storage, by reduction of moisture content, in temperature conditions and the response to drought states, without compromising its germination. Therefore, this study contemplates evaluating four storage intervals (0, 3, 6 and 12 months), under three temperature levels (ambient, 5oc, and 10oc, and two levels of moisture content reduction. On the other hand, the evaluation of the seed response has been included to four sequía states at the field level (normal, moderate, severe and extreme drought) through a rain exclusion experiment Drought, the tools for planning and decision making on the restoration would be given using seeds of native species.

XIV RESEARCH PROJECT COMPETITION