New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Effect of maturity stage on germination and dormancy of fresh and air-dried
seeds of bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.)
Nezar H. Samarah
Nabeel Allataifeh
Munir Turk
Abed Rahman Tawaha
Department of Crop Production
Jordan University of Science and Technology
P.O. Box 3030
Irbid 22110
Jordan
email: nsamarah@just.edu.jo
Abstract Bitter vetch is an important legume crop cultivated
for forage and seed yield in the Mediterranean, West Asia, and North Africa
regions. Delaying seed harvest of bitter vetch may increase seed losses due
to pod shattering; however, early harvest may influence seed dormancy and
the ability of seed to germinate. Field experiments were conducted at two
locations in Jordan to study the effect of maturity stage on germination
and dormancy of fresh (before drying), air-dried, and dry-prechilled (at
5°C for 8 days) seeds of bitter vetch. Pods were harvested at three development
stages: full-seed pod (FS), yellow pod (YP), and brown pod (BP). Percentage
of normal, abnormal, hard, and dead seeds at 14 days after planting in standard
germination tests was recorded for the fresh, air-dried, and dry-prechilled
seeds harvested at the three development stages. Germination counts of normal
seedlings at 4, 7, 10, and 14 days after planting was used to calculate the
germination rate index (GRI). For the fresh seeds, germination did not exceed
30% when seeds were harvested at the FS stage, and decreased to 0% at the
YP stage. All non-germinated fresh seeds harvested at the YP stage were dormant.
Air-drying and dry-prechilling treatments improved seed germination at the
YP and BP stages. Maximum germination was achieved in air-dried and dry-prechilled
seeds harvested at the BP stage. The percentage of hard seeds was the highest
for air-dried seeds harvested at the FS stage. Percentage of hard and dormant
seeds was decreased to the minimum when seeds were harvested at the BP stage
and exposed to air-drying and dry-prechilling treatment before germination.
Dry-prechilled seeds had higher GRI than fresh and air-dried seeds when seeds
were harvested at the BP stage. In conclusion, maximum germination and minimum
dormancy was achieved for air-dried and dry-prechilled seeds harvested at
the BP stage. Dry-prechilling treatment increased the speed of germination
for seeds harvested at the BP stage. Presence of hard seeds reduced the germination
of air-dried seeds harvested at the YP stage. Bitter vetch seeds harvested
at the YP stage may require scarification and a longer prechilling treatment
to overcome seed dormancy observed at this stage.
Keywords Vicia ervilia; hard seeds; stage of
development; seed dormancy; seed dry weight; seed moisture content; physiological
maturity
A03012; Received 24 February 2003; accepted 17 July 2003; online publication
date 5 November 2003
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2003, Vol. 46: 347–354
0028–8233/03/4604–0347 $7.00/0 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2003
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