Testing for seed germination

Testing for seed germination

1. SUPRIYA MONDAL.M.SC (AG.) DEPT. OF GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING SEED GERMINATION TESTING BIDHAN CHANDRA KRISHI VISWAVIDYALAYA, MOHANPUR ,NADIA, WB

2. SEED GERMINATION? Defination - Germination is the budding of a seed after it has been planted in soil and remained dormant for a certain period of time WHAT IS SEED GERMINATION TESTING A testing is to provide information of field planting values of the seed lot and to compare the potential values of a different seed lot of a kind OBJECTIVES OF GERMINATION TEST TO PREDICT THE PERFOMANCE OF THE SEED IN THE FIELD OBTAINING PLANTING VALUE OF THE SEED COMPARING RATE OF GERMINATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT SEED LOT

3. Substates for the germination test GERMINATION TEST PAPER AS A SUBSTATE SOIL AS A SUBSTATE SAND AS A SUBSTATE 1. On the Top of The Paper 2. Between the layers of the paper 3. In the Pleated paper 1. On the Top of the sand 2. On the Between of the sand Top of the sand 2. Between the sand layers

4. PAPER AS A SUBSTATE Materials to be needed – paper towel, filter paper, blotting paper On the top of the paper - Seeds are placed on one or more layer of wet paper towel/blotting paper placed in a petri dishes,then it is covered and placed in room temperature, while the germination trays are placed in germinator.glass plate covered with wet paper and placed vertically about 30 degree with a little water Between the layers of the wet paper – Seeds are placed between the layers of the wet paper, then in the germination trays and kept in germinator in a room temperature.In both these cases RH in the room or in the germinator must be as close to the saturatin as possible, Moistened paper towel should not contain excess pf water On the pleated paper - wet paper towel or filter paper strip is folded into 10-50 pleats longitudinally and stapled at the end.Seeds are placed on the upper surface of each fold and allowed to germinate.

5. PICTURES OF PAPER METHOD On the top of the paper On between the paper Pleated paper method

6. PAPER AS A SUBSTATE Materials to be needed – paper towel, filter paper, blotting paper On the top of the paper - Seeds are placed on one or more layer of wet paper towel/blotting paper placed in a petri dishes,then it is covered and placed in room temperature, while the germination trays are placed in germinator.glass plate covered with wet paper and placed vertically about 30 degree with a little water Between the layers of the wet paper – Seeds are placed between the layers of the wet paper, then in the germination trays and kept in germinator in a room temperature.In both these cases RH in the room or in the germinator must be as close to the saturatin as possible, Moistened paper towel should not contain excess pf water On the pleated paper - wet paper towel or filter paper strip is folded into 10-50 pleats longitudinally and stapled at the end.Seeds are placed on the upper surface of each fold and allowed to germinate.

7. SAND AS A SUBSTATE Material to be - needed sand, water, tray PREREQUISITE – Sand is to be washed to eliminate the toxic materials present before putting seed,The amount of water to be added to sand deprnds upon its characteristics, about 50% - 60% of its water holding capacity and the size TOP OF THE SAND – Seeds are pressed on the surface of moist sand taken in tray. BETWEEN THE SAND LAYER – Seeds are planted in a uniform layers of as in case of the sand and covered with 1-3 layers of sand

8. PICTURES OF SAND METHOD TOP OF THE SAND BETWEEN THE SAND

9. SAND AS A SUBSTATE Material to be - needed sand, water, tray PREREQUISITE – Sand is to be washed to eliminate the toxic materials present before putting seed,The amount of water to be added to sand deprnds upon its characteristics, about 50% - 60% of its water holding capacity and the size TOP OF THE SAND – Seeds are pressed on the surface of moist sand taken in tray. BETWEEN THE SAND LAYER – Seeds are planted in a uniform layers of as in case of the sand and covered with 1-3 layers of sand

10. SOIL AS A SUBSTATE TOP OR BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF THE SOIL – Seeds are planted on top or between layers of soil as in the case of sand, generally used in doubtfull cases where the seedlings raised on sand methods show phytotoxicity symptoms.

11. CONDITIONS TO BE MAINTAINED SPACING OF THE SEEDS Should not less than 1 -5 times the witdth and diameter of the seed Or root stock. Moisture and aeration of the substrate Additional water to be added to meet the moisture requirement When the low moisture lebel required,exces moisture should be removed Temperature Should not fluctuate much during the test, Direct sunlight or artificial sunlight should not exceed more than prescribed

12. CONDITIONS TO BE MAINTAINED Illumination Proper illumination should be taken for the specific seeds. Aceptic condition All material should be clean regularly to avoid growth of the pathogen, Blotting paper , paper towel seed container etc.

13. METHODS FOR BREAKING DORMANCY SOME AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SEEDS NEED TO BREAK DORMANCY BEFORE TESTING OF GERMINATION PRECHILLING PRE-DRYING LOW TEMP. TREATMENT CHEMICAL TREATMENT

14. The time for the, first count is approximate and a deviation of 1- 3 days is permitted. Final count is taken in between 7-14 days.

15. EVALUATION OF GERMINATION TEST  Normal Seedlings that possess essential structures that is indicative of their ability to produce useful mature plants under favorable field conditions.  Abnormal Seedlings that exhibit some form of growth but have insufficient plant structures to maintain a healthy plant, such as missing roots or shoots.  Fresh Seeds. Seeds that have failed to germinate but have imbibed water. They appear firm, fresh and capable of germination, but remain dormant.  Dormant Seeds. Viable seeds (other than hard seeds) that fail to germinate when given the prescribed or recommended germination conditions.  Hard Seeds. Seeds that remains hard at the end of the prescribed test period, because their seed coats are impermeable to water.  Dead Seeds. Seeds that cannot produce any part of a seedling.

16. CALCULATION OF RESULT Results are expressed as percentage by number. Germination rate is the average number of seeds that germinate over the five-day and 10-day time period. Germination (%) = G / N * 100 Where: G = number of normal germinated seedling N = number of seed sown (excluding empty and infested) For example, if you planted 50 radish seeds and 35 seeds germinated, you would write 35/50 = 70/100 = 70%. The germination rate is 70%.

17. THANK YOU REFERENCE S EED SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY By SUBIR SEN & NABINANANDA GHOSH