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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): G. R. Flematti; D. J. Merritt; M. J. Piggott; R. D. Trengove; S. M. Smith; K. W. Dixon; E. L. Ghisalberti
Publication Date: 2011

Cyanide is well known for its toxicity towards living organisms. Many plants use cyanide as a defensive agent against herbivores, releasing it through the enzymatic hydrolysis of endogenous cyanogenic compounds. At low concentrations, cyanide has been proposed to have a regulatory role in many plant processes including stimulation of seed germination. However, no ecological role for cyanide in seed germination has been established. In the present study, we show that burning plant material produces the cyanohydrin, glyceronitrile. We also show that, in the presence of water, glyceronitrile is slowly hydrolysed to release cyanide that stimulates seed germination of a diverse range of fire-responsive species from different continents. We propose that glyceronitrile serves as an ecological store for cyanide and is an important cue for stimulating seed germination and landscape regeneration after fires. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

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Citation: Flematti, G. R., D. J. Merritt, M. J. Piggott, R. D. Trengove, S. M. Smith, K. W. Dixon, and E. L. Ghisalberti. 2011. Burning vegetation produces cyanohydrins that liberate cyanide and stimulate seed germination. Nature Communications, v. 2, p. 360 [article no. online]-11 p. [total pages online]. 10.1038/ncomms1356. www.nature.com/naturecommunications.

Cataloging Information

Regions:
Keywords:
  • Anigozanthos
  • Australia
  • chemistry
  • forest management
  • regeneration
  • seed germination
  • smoke effects
  • smoke management
  • toxicity
Tall Timbers Record Number: 26493Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Fire FileAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 49980

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.