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Germination Behavior of Florida Pusley Seeds. I. Effects of Storage, Light, Temperature and Planting Depths on Germination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

P. K. Biswas
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
P. D. Bell
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
J. L. Crayton
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088
K. B. Paul
Affiliation:
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sci., Tuskegee Inst., AL 36088

Abstract

Freshly harvested Florida pusley (Richardia scabra L.) seeds do not germinate in continuous dark, but do germinate if exposed to more than 2 hr of light each day. Increasing periods of illumination up to 16 hr per day increases the germination percentages. Scarification increases the rate of germination in the presence of light. Scarification also causes germination of seeds stored for 8 months or longer in total darkness. The seeds fail to germinate at constant temperatures of 15 C or less and at 40 C. Almost complete germination occurs at a constant temperature of 30 C, or at alternating temperatures of 20 and 30 C. The seeds germinate equally well in the pH range of 3 to 8. Increasing depths of planting reduces percent emergence, and none of the seedlings emerge from a depth of 1.5 cm or more. Air-dried seeds can be stored either at 5 or at 25 C without losing viability, at least up to a period of 1 year after harvest. Moist storage of seeds at 5 C reduces germinability.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1975 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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