Tomato seeds increase its germination speed by oxigenation of imbibition water

In the process of seed germination, oxygen availability is as important as temperature and humidity.
In seeds that are stored deterioration can occur causing diminished germination.
In this way, the aim in this experiment was to determine how much, through a pretreatment, is achieved in recovering the germination rate of a seed lot of naturally aged ‘Saladet’ tomato.
Pretreatment consisted of soaking with high oxygenation.
Lots of 50 seeds and three replications per treatment were prepared.
Seeds were place in distilled water at room temperature along 24 h.
In one case, seeds were thoroughly oxygenated with the help of an aquarium pump and a diffuser stone to produce bubbling air.
In the other case seeds were keep in static distilled water.
Then, all the seeds were placed to germinate on filter paper moistened with 3.5 mL of distilled water, in petri dishes (100% relative humidity) in the dark at 28±2°C. The differences in mean daily germination, were significant to the second day and they kept until the ninth day.
Final germination was not statistically different, however, the average germination (T₅₀) time was significantly shortened by imbibition of seeds in water thoroughly oxygenated, since it required 27.38 h less to the T₅₀ and germination was much more uniform, compared to the control seeds.
A faster and more uniform germination as it was obtained, is always desirable.
The implemented technique is pertinent, secured, fast and inexpensive.

International Symposia on Tropical and Temperate Horticulture – ISTTH2016

E. Vidal-Lezama, G. Carrillo-Castañeda, C. Pérez-Mendoza, E. Ortiz-García

aconditioning, soaking, imbibition, aeration, Solanum lycopersicum

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1205.35