Articles
ETHEPHON OVERCOMES SEED SCARIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF PELARGONIUM
Article number
201_17
Pages
165 – 170
Language
Abstract
Commercially, geranium seed is prepared for germination by a combination of sulphuric acid and mechanical scarification.
We have determined that the problem is not a hard seed coat but a lack of ethylene.
Working with an inbred line line of Pelargonium hortorum showed that a 12 hour soak in 50 ppm of ethephon (an ethylene precursor) with fully imbibed seed and a 12 hour soak in 250 ppm of ethephon with unimbibed (dry) seed was sufficient to overcome the scarification requirement.
No damage – or additional benefit – was obtained with concentration up to 200 ppm ethephon, with imbibed seed, 1000 ppm ethephon with dry seed and soaks up to 24 hrs.
We have determined that the problem is not a hard seed coat but a lack of ethylene.
Working with an inbred line line of Pelargonium hortorum showed that a 12 hour soak in 50 ppm of ethephon (an ethylene precursor) with fully imbibed seed and a 12 hour soak in 250 ppm of ethephon with unimbibed (dry) seed was sufficient to overcome the scarification requirement.
No damage – or additional benefit – was obtained with concentration up to 200 ppm ethephon, with imbibed seed, 1000 ppm ethephon with dry seed and soaks up to 24 hrs.
Authors
Owen M. Rogers
Keywords
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