Pea seeds soaked in sterile water for 2 days at 20 deg;C showed no adverse effects. If seeds are soaked longer seedling development is retarded, roots are shorter, and stem tissue deteriorates. Seeds soaked 2 and 3 days show a maximum rate of root growth in excess of the maximum growth rate exhibited by seeds soaked for 1 day. Increasing the soaking time tends to delay the utilization of stored food in the cotyledon.
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