Medical Oxygen Concentrators for Releasing Seed Dormancy

A new method is demonstrated for using concentrated oxygen (O 2 gas) to release seed dormancy. Concentrated O 2 gas in air is known to release seed dormancy in some seeds, including some foxtail ( Setaria ) species. New medical equipment makes O 2 gas easier to work with than before, so laboratories working with dormant seeds can now use concentrated O 2 gas as a seed treatment on a production basis. Use of medical O 2 gas concentrators is simpler and safer than using O 2 gas supplied by pressurized gas cylinders. Suitable medical O 2 gas concentrators in new or used condition are readily available, operate on standard electrical current, and deliver O 2 gas with low‐pressure tubes and fittings. Resealable plastic bags are inflated with concentrated O 2 gas and then sealed as seed treatment chambers. This use of concentrated O 2 gas is confirmed to significantly increase the germination of dormant seeds of giant foxtail ( Setaria faberi Herrm) and plains bristlegrass ( S. macrostachya Kunth).