Fluorescein diacetate as a viability stain for tree roots and seeds

Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) was tested as a viability stain for roots of green ash as well as for seeds of green ash and 10 other tree species. The viability level indicated by FDA staining of green ash roots agreed well with root growth potential results, bud condition assessment, and foliage browning measurements. In seed viability experiments, the FDA staining intensity of embryos was related to germination in 9 out of 11 species tested using a 30 minute stain incubation period. In the other 2 species, eastern hemlock and Scotch pine, embryo FDA staining intensity and germination were also similar, provided an 18 h stain incubation period was used. When two seedlots of differing viability were tested in each of white spruce, Douglas-fir, and pitch pine, significantly higher germination was reflected in significantly higher embryo FDA staining intensity. In Sitka spruce seed that was heat treated to produce a range of viabilities, the semilog plot of germination (log scale) and FDA staining intensity of the embryo (linear scale) had an r2= 0.95. Based on these preliminary results, FDA shows promise as a rapid viability stain for tree roots and seeds.