ISHS Acta Horticulturae 631: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Transplant Production and Stand Establishment Research
EFFECTS OF OSMOPRIMING TREATMENTS ON SEED GERMINATION OF TWO TYPES OF RADICCHIO (CICHORIUM INTYBUS VAR. SILVESTRE) |
| Authors: | P. Sambo, G. Gianquinto, F. Pimpini |
| Keywords: | germination temperature, mean time of germination, polyethylene glycol (PEG), potassium nitrate, priming duration |
| Abstract:
To improve germination of two types of radicchio (“Rosso di Chioggia”, RCh, and “Bianco di Chioggia”, WCh) various pre-sowing treatments were evaluated. A non-soaked control was compared with seeds primed for 2, 4, 6, 8 hours in plain water (hydropriming) or in solutions containing the following concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and potassium nitrate (KNO3): a) PEG at -0.5, -0.9 and -1.7 MPa; b) KNO3 at -0.12, -0.24 and -0.52 MPa. After soaking, seeds were rinsed and placed in petri-dishes at 20 or 27°C germination temperature. Pre-sowing treatments affected the germination percentage more than the mean time of germination, and the effects were more evident in RCh and when 20°C germination temperature was applied. Generally, the higher germination percentage was obtained with longer hydropriming (6-8 hrs) and with short treatment (2 hrs) with osmotic compounds. KNO3 proved to be less effective than PEG which gave, on average, the best results at -0.5 and -0.9 MPa water potential. | |
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