Authors: Zerche, S.; Verma, S.S.; Ewald, A.; Ludwig-Müller, J.

Source: Seed Science and Technology, Volume 35, Number 1, April 2007 , pp. 111-128(18)

Publisher: International Seed Testing Association

Abstract:

A previous study revealed potassium as maturation marker with primrose seeds. This study of primrose seed lots investigated the relevance of potassium (K) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations to seed eluate conductivity, germination capacity and longevity, respectively. Therefore, experimental and commercial seed samples were collected to consider effects of (i) graduated K availability to gonophores from anthesis to seed harvest, (ii) two different maturation stages at time of seed harvest and (iii) graduated seed ages after storage from different harvest years. In result, reciprocally responses of germination and K concentration on maturation level persisted in long term stored experimental primrose seeds. The germination also correlated negatively with respective electric conductivity in eluates of these seed lots. Although germination showed no response on graduated K nutrition within same maturation levels, a limited K nutrition of gonophores was reflected by decreased ABA concentration in mature experimental seeds. However, this effect disappeared after storage and despite the persisting differences in germination between immature and matured seeds, ABA was not different. Hence, low germination of immature seeds was not explained by differences in ABA levels and thus a possible change in embryo sensitivity is hypothesized. Seed potassium, eluate conductivity and germination of commercial seed lots reflected maturation status and storage deterioration within specific cultivar and environment responses. However, maturation predetermined initial germination, while it abated further from initial levels with subsequent storage. All together, seed eluate conductivity allowed just rough germination and vigour predictions with primrose seeds, although specific maturation and storage conditions seemed to interact with the reliability of conductivity tests.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2007-04-01

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