Investigating the type of dormancy, imbibition and germination of Sida hermaphrodita seeds and its practical application in a sowing experiment

摘要

Seeds of Sida hermaphrodita display physical dormancy (PY), with a possible physiological dormancy (PD) being discussed, which greatly impedes germination and hinders stand establishment by sowing. We investigated the type of dormancy, imbibition and germination of this potential bioenergy crop's seeds and applied our findings in a sowing experiment. Pretreatments to break PY had a significant effect on imbibition and germination of the seeds, while we did not find any indication of PD. Of all tested methods for alleviating PY, treating the seeds with a pneumatic seed scarifier achieved the best results with germination of around 90%. Other common pretreatments for overcoming PY, like soaking in hot or boiling water, had a negative effect on germination.