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Cottonseed Germination Related to DNA Synthesis Following Chilling Stress 1
Author(s) -
Clay Willard F.,
Buxton D. R.,
Katterman Frank R. H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1977.0011183x001700020028x
Subject(s) - germination , biology , cottonseed , agronomy , horticulture , gossypium , drought stress , botany
Identification of cotton ( Gossypium spp.) seed lots that establish uniform stands has been inconsistent with the standard germination test, especially when soil temperatures are low. To aid in developing better predictive tests, critical biological processes associated with seed germination at low temperatures need to be better understood. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between DNA synthesis and seed performance. Pima cottonseed ( G. borbadense L.) lots were evaluated during 3 years of experimentation for field emergence, germination percentage at both 15 and 25 C, and capacity to synthesize DNA during germination following a chilling stress. DNA synthesis was positively correlated with seed germination percentage at both temperatures, with the closest association occurring at 15 C when a large number of seed lots were evaluated. The DNA test was more consistently correlated with field emergence than percent germination. These results show that capacity to synthesize DNA following chilling is an important process associated with seed germination and emergence during low soil temperatures.