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The study aimed to test various vigour tests to correlate them with seedling emergence in two field sowing dates and two different sowing depths in controlled room emergence of ten dill seed lots. Mean germination time, accelerated aging; for 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours, electrical conductivity readings at 16 hours and 24 hours, and EC readings after AA test were used as vigour tests, and results were correlated with seedling emergence percentages. Seedling emergence was tested in two sowing dates in the field and two different sowing depths in controlled room conditions. Controlled room seedling emergence values (80-95% in 2 cm, 76-92% in 4 cm) were higher than those of field emergence values (67-85% in the first sowing and 60-80% in the second sowing). Most of the vigour tests were significantly correlated with emergence potential. The highest correlation values were observed in EC16h and EC24h tests, significance between emergence and these two vigour tests were at P<0.001 three out of four sowings. The results indicated that EC16h can be a fast, practical and easy method of seed vigour discrimination in dill seed lots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work was carried out to test the seed vigour test to correlate seedling emergence potential of rocket seed lots in the field conditions. Standard laboratory germination percentages of the 12 seed lots were ranged between 87 and 93%. Radicle emergence (2 mm) percentages after 18 (RE18h), 24 (RE24h), 36 (RE36h) and 48 (RE48h) during standard germination test, accelerated ageing test (AA, 45 °C, 100% RH, 24h, 48h), electrical conductivity (20 °C, 40 ml, 50 seeds) of 8h, 16h and 24h readings were used as vigour tests. Seeds were sown in two occasions in the field and vigour test results were correlated with seedling emergence percentages. Even though all seed vigour tests were significantly correlated with emergence at various levels EC24h and RE24h showed the highest correlation (p<0.001) with seedling emergence percentages in both sowing times. Correlation values were 0.824 and 0.844 in EC24h, 0.860 and 0.874 in RE24h.The lowest correlations were seen in standard laboratory germination test as 0.640 and 0.654 (p<0.05). Results indicated that EC24h and RE24h are practical and fast vigour tests that can be related to seedling emergence potential in rocket seed lots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine seed longevity in organic and conventionally produced pepper seeds from four different pepper cultivars. Seeds were stored at 20±2 °C with 7.5±0.5 seed moisture over 48 months. Longevity of seeds were evaluated with Ki (initial seed quality), P50 (half-viability period), σ (standard deviation of distribution of seed deaths in time), and regression coefficient values. The highest longevity was observed in 'Corbaci' and 'Yaglik' cultivars, while 'Surmeli' and 'K. Dolma' were found to have shorter longevity. P50 was 43.4 and 40.2 months for 'Corbacı' and 34.9 and 39.7 months for 'Yaglık' organic and conventional cultivars, respectively, whereas it was about 21.4 and 23.7 months in 'K. Dolma' and 'Surmeli' cultivars. Similarly, the highest σ and regression coefficient values were observed for 'Corbaci' and the lowest for 'Surmeli' cultivars. Organic and conventional pepper seed longevity was not different in the same species. Regression coefficient values were 0.043 in organic and 0.046 in conventional seeds for 'Corbaci'. Very close values were found between the two production systems for the other cultivars too. Results indicate that organic seeds had similar longevity to conventional ones. The main differences originated from the cultivars, not from the production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the effect of solid matrix priming (SMP) treatment with an air composition of O2, N2, air, vacuum on four leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) seed lots of various ages, in terms of enhancing germination, mean germination time, electrical conductivity of solute leakage and catalase activity. Untreated seeds were used as control. Solid matrix priming at a seed: vermiculite: water ratio of 2.5:1.25:3.75 (w/w/w) was applied at 20 °C for 24 hours in the dark. Solid matrix priming with O2 was found to give the highest germination, lowest mean germination time, lowest electrical conductivity (reduced solute leakage) and the highest catalase activity among all treatments and lots. SMP treatment with air provided positive response, while N2 and vacuum treatments were found to be less effective. The advantages of solid matrix priming were more pronounced in lower quality lot than in the higher quality ones. The results indicated that oxygen enrichment in SMP may enhance leek seed quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]