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This work tested the effect of after-ripening on seed germination of thirteen commercial seed lots from four open pollinated cultivars (Aydın Siyahı, Kemer, Pala and Topan) of aubergine (Solanum melongena L.). Seeds were stored (after-ripened) at 5 °C with at 9% seed moisture content over 14 days in the dark in hermetic conditions. After-ripened seeds were tested at 25 °C and 20/30 °C (16/8 h) together with a control at 20/30 °C for 14 days in petri dishes. Results indicated that after-ripening significantly (p < 0.05) increased total germination in six lots and normal germination in eight lots out of thirteen when germination was tested at 25 °C. Increases were also observed eleven lots in total and thirteen in normal germination percentages out of thirteen when seeds were tested at 20/30 °C. Cumulative germination showed that after-ripened seeds germinated faster than control either germinated at 25 or 20/30 °C. Results indicated that aubergine seed germination can be increased through after- ripening treatment which shows the presence of seed dormancy in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to test the effect of a priming combination on the seed germination percentage and seedling emergence performance of purslane under climate chamber and field conditions. Four purslane seed lots were treated according five different methods, which were T1: Seeds kept at a hundred percent relative humidity for four hours at 20 °C; T2: Seeds kept at a hundred percent relative humidity for four hours at 20 °C, and then soaked in distilled water for 8 hours at 5 °C; T3: Seeds kept at a hundred percent relative humidity for four hours at 20 °C, and then soaked in distilled water for 8 hours at 20 °C; T4: Seeds soaked in distilled water for 8 hours at 5 °C; T5: Seeds soaked in distilled water for 8 hours at 20 °C; and C: Control (untreated). Seed germination was calculated for 14 days at 20 °C, seedling emergence percentages were calculated in the climatically-controlled chamber for 21 days at 22 °C, and in the field for 35 days at 15-25 °C. The highest seed germination (94%) and seedling emergence in the climatically-controlled chamber (87%) and field (82%) were obtained from seeds that had been kept at a hundred percent relative humidity for four hours at 20 °C, then soaked in distilled water for eight hours at 5 °C. Results indicated that farm-priming, can be an efficient priming method in purslane seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]