ISHS Acta Horticulturae 215: Seed Research in Horticulture
OSMOCONDITIONING OF LETTUCE SEEDS AND INDUCTION OF SECONDARY DORMANCY |
| Authors: | C.M. Karssen, R. Weges |
| Abstract:
Osmoconditioning of seeds has been developed to enhance and synchronize germination. It was shown in the present experiments that in lettuce seeds osmotic pretreatment also influenced the development of secondary dormancy. A pretreatment of lettuce seeds cv. Musette at 15 °C in polyethylene glycol (PEG) at an osmotic potential of -15 bar retarded the breaking of dormancy, prevented germination and, consequently, opened the oportunity for secondary dormancy to develop. In seeds of cv. Grand Rapids PEG postponed at 24 °C the development of secondary light-irresponsiveness. It is postulated that the decreased moisture content at the end of imbibition caused in both situations a retardation of the changes in dormancy. | |
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