Plant-derived smoke and seed germination: is all smoke good smoke? That is the burning question

Smoke derived from burning a natural mixture of plant species stimulates the germination of seed from a wide range of plants. It is not known, however, whether smoke derived from individual species is equally effective in promoting seed germination. The gemination of Themeda triandra seed following exposure to smoke, generated by individually burning the leaf material of 27 different species common to the montane grasslands of the Drakensberg, is reported. Gemination of T. triandra seed was not promoted in response to the smoke of all 27 species tested. Rook afkomstig van die brand van 'n mengsel van natuurlike plant-spesies stimuleer die ontkieming van 'n wye reeks saad. Dit is egter nie bekend of rook van individuele plantspesies ewe effektief is in die stimulering van saadontkieming nie. Die ontkieming van Themeda triandra-saad na blootstelling aan rook wat verkry is deur die verbranding van blaarmaterial van 27 verskillende spesies vanaf die graslande van die Drakensberg is ondersoek. Ontkieming van T. triandra-saad is nie deur rook van al 27 spesies gestim- uleer nie.