Responses of seed germination and seedling emergence of Aconitum gymnandrum to different genealogical and parental generation treatments

The seed germination and seedling emergence of Aconitum gymnandrum in subalpine meadow of the eastern Tibetan Plateau and in abandoned farmland of Hexi Corridor were studied. The results showed that 1) The treatment of removing petals and staments for their parents delayed days of first seedling emergence, and the correspond offsprings seed germination rates, seedling emergence rates, leaf area, and seedling biomass were all significantly reduced except the emergence percent, Furthermore, these traits were obviously influenced by the interactions of family and removing treatment, suggesting large genetic variations and also indicating a great selective potential. 2) Parents had no effect on seeding characters before the reproductive stages, which suggested that maternal effects on seedling characters of juvenile stage for A. gymnandrum were different at different plant life stages.