Seed Germination Behaviour of the Endangered Medicinal Plant Podophyllum hexandrum

The over-exploitation of Podophyllum hexandrum, a Himalayan medicinal species belonging to the Berberidaceae, is endangering its survival in natural sites. Etoposide, a derivative podophyllotoxin, is currently in clinical use in the treatment of many cancers. The cultivation of this species may answer the growing needs for plant material. But the difficulties of germination have not favored its domestication so far. There are about 20 publications on the subject, without a final answer. The results presented here show that the embryos were perfectly able to germinate directly after harvest. The best results were obtained by treating fresh seeds just after harvest with GA(3), allowing 90% germination after 80 days.