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Water Content and the Responsivity of Lettuce Seeds to Light
Author(s) -
BERRIE ALEX. M. M.,
PATERSON J.,
WEST H. R.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1974.tb03110.x
Subject(s) - lactuca , mannitol , germination , peg ratio , sucrose , water content , chemistry , polyethylene glycol , gibberellic acid , horticulture , botany , food science , biology , biochemistry , geotechnical engineering , finance , engineering , economics
Lettuce seed (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids) prevented from attaining maximum water content are still able to respond to irradiation if the seed moisture content is above 6%. When the limitation to water uptake is by immersion in a solution of either polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400), mannitol, or sucrose, the responsiveness of the seed is lessened. With PEG 400 the molarity which reduces germination by about 50% is 0.03 while mannitol and sucrose must be present at 0.07 M and 0.05 M respectively to bring about the same reduction. While red light overcomes any additional effect 0.1 M mannitol and 0.025 M PEG 400 have on lettuce seed at 30°C (at which temperature the sample was positively photoblastic), irradiation did not overcome the effect of 0.1 M sucrose. Gibberellic acid did not have any effect on any of the treated seed. The solutes used cannot be considered as inert. Some chemical activity is associated with them and it is unwise to consider using these molecules to establish a particular level of water potential in the liquid bathing the seed.