Western Australian Premier and Science Minister Geoff Gallop has congratulated a team of Western Australian  researchers for making a world-first scientific discovery - the compound in smoke which promotes seed germination.

The research, which is published today in the international journal Science (publication date July 8 United States), has potential application world-wide for the agricultural and horticultural industries.

"This discovery represents one of the most significant advances in seed science with benefits in the natural, agricultural, conservation and restoration sciences," Dr Gallop said.

"It also provides a new and exciting method for scientists to understand the role of wildfires in the world's ecosystems and biodiversity.

"I would like to applaud the work of Dr Kingsley Dixon, Director, Science, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority; Associate Professor Emilio Ghisalberti and PhD student Gavin Flematti, of the University of Western Australia; and Associate Professor Robert Trengove, of Murdoch University."

The team discovered a chemical, known as a butenolide, that induces germination in a broad range of wildflower, bushland and agricultural species from Australia and around the world including celery, parsley and even echinacea.

Dr Dixon said although some of the top laboratories in the world had already researched what made smoke prompt the germination of seeds, none had actually found the identity of the active agent or compound until now.

"For hundreds of years, African tribes have used smoke to improve germination of red rice and maize," he said.

"Scientists only realised what indigenous Africans have known for centuries when South African botanists used bush smoke, derived from burning plant material, to promote the germination of wildflower seeds some 15 years ago."

Dr Dixon said this latest discovery might herald a new and effective method to control weeds in agriculture by stimulating the germination of dormant seed banks.

"In time and subject to further testing, this could help farmers who want to control crop weeds, without having to wait so long for the seeds to germinate again before being eradicated," he said.

"Some of these weeds can take up to many years to reappear."

The scientists also found the compound was active at extraordinarily low levels or parts per trillion concentrations.

"For restoration industries in Australia and overseas, the potency of the chemical is so great that it requires about one gram (a quarter of a teaspoon!) per hectare of native bushland - to enable the most cost-effective restoration from native seed banks ever achieved," Dr Dixon said.

The team's research is now focused on testing more effective restoration opportunities as well as investigating how the molecule behaves in native and agricultural species.