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 stimulat es the germination of seed from a wide range of plants. It is not know n, however, whether smoke derived from individual species is equally e ffective in promoting seed germination. The germination of Themeda tri andra seed following exposure to smoke, generated by individually burn ing the leaf material of 27 different species common to the montane gr asslands of the Drakensberg, is reported. Germination of T. triandra s eed was not promoted in response to the smoke of all 27 species tested .