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THE LOW TEMPERATURE LIMIT FOR SEED GERMINATION
Author(s) -
SIMON E. W.,
MINCHIN ANN,
MCMENAMIN MARY M.,
SMITH J. M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1976.tb01519.x
Subject(s) - germination , horticulture , biology , mitotic index , mung bean , respiration , botany , mitosis , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY At 2O°C, cucumber and mung bean seeds germinate rapidly. As the temperature is lowered to 14°C, the time required for 50% germination increases with a Q l0 of about 2. However, between 14 and 11°C, Q 10 rises to 60–1600 (cucumber) and 87 (mung bean); below 11°C only a small percentage of seeds will germinate. At 10°C, the roots never extend to more than 1.5 mm, while a length of 2.5 mm is necessary for germination. Exogenous supply of various amino acids and hormones fails to alleviate the block to germination in the cold. The mitotic index of root cells in cucumber seedlings is low at 5°C. However, at 22°C the seeds can germinate even under conditions that inhibit mitosis (0.02% colchicine or following γ‐irradiation). There is little indication of leakage from cucumber seeds in the cold. Arrhenius plots of the respiration of imbibed seeds, of the growth of 1‐cm long roots and the respiration of root tips are a1! linear. It is concluded from the high Q 10 figures for germination in the cold that the failure of germination may result from a denaturation of proteins.