ISHS Acta Horticulturae 201: Manipulation of Ethylene Responses in Horticulture, XXII IHC
ETHEPHON OVERCOMES SEED SCARIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF PELARGONIUM |
| Author: | Owen M. Rogers |
| 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. | |
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