Description:
The objective of this study was to develop a soaking and drying
procedure to stimulate the germination and seedling emergence of
orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa
pratensis L.) seed. Some of the physiological changes associated
with the soaking and drying treatments were also studied.
The seed was soaked on top of blotters moistened with solutions
of 200 ppm GA₃, distilled H₂O and 20,000 ppm NaC1. The most
beneficial results were obtained by soaking at 5 C for periods of 3 to
6 days. Following soaking, the seed lots were dried to their original
dry weight and stored up to 8 months before testing.
The effect of the treatment on the performance of the seed was
evaluated in terms of germination and growth measurements.
Presoaked seed germinated up to one day earlier than the unsoaked
control. Radicle growth rate was not affected by any of the treatments.
Seedling emergence from soil was more rapid after treatment.
Germination tests conducted 8 months after presoaking indicated
that the treatments had not caused any loss of viability during
storage. Compared to water, there appeared to be little benefit
from soaking in GA₃ and NaC1 solutions.
Since seedling growth rates were not increased by the treatments,
the beneficial results appeared to be related to the effects
on germination rate. The small increase in imbibition rate and O₂
uptake by treated seeds may account for part of the accelerated
germination. The treatments reduced the level of dormancy as
indicated by the reduced requirement for alternating temperatures.
Presoaking and drying treatments were most effective on cultivars
and seed lots exhibiting higher levels of dormancy.
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http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu?metadataPrefix=&verb=GetRecord&identifier=ir.library.oregonstate.edu:kw52jb65t
Repository Record Id:
ir.library.oregonstate.edu:kw52jb65t
Record Title:
Presoaking and drying treatments to improve the performance of orchardgrass and bluegrass seed
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/kw52jb65t