Perspectives on the contributions by South African researchers in igniting global research on smoke-stimulated seed germination

There is the age-old saying, “where there is smoke, there is fire”, and while the important effects of fire as an ecological driver has been well known, and the effect of heat on seed germination previously well studied, it is amazing that it took until around 1990 for the “penny to drop” as far as the physiological effects of smoke on plant communities is concerned. Here, we describe some of the historical events that took place in South Africa in terms of discoveries of smoke-stimulated seed germination that ultimately led to the recognition of a new group of plant growth regulators. These findings underscored and sparked many research studies in other countries which have contributed greatly to elucidating the role of smoke as a germination cue, and its importance in ecological systems and potential use in seed technology.