Breaking Seed Dormancy in Argemone mexicana L. Seeds

Abstract

95
U. of K. J. Agric. Sci. 22(1), 95-111, 2014
Breaking Seed Dormancy in Argemone mexicana L. Seeds
Tarig Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed1 and Hanadi Ibrahim El Dessougi
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan
Abstract: Laboratory tests were conducted in 2010, at the Seed
Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University
of Khartoum, Sudan, to investigate the effect of different methods of
breaking seed dormancy in Argemone mexicana seeds. The methods used
were soaking of seeds for six hours in tap water followed by drying for
six hours, hydration of seeds for six hours and drying for six hours then
hydration and dehydration for the same period, soaking of seeds in hot
water (60 ̊C) for six durations (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes), treating
the seeds with H2 SO 4 (70%) for 5, 20, 40 and 60 minutes, treating the
seeds for two hours using 250, 500 and 1000 ppm of gibberelic acid
(GA3 ), treating the seeds with combinations of GA3 (250, 500 and 1000
ppm) and H2 SO 4 for 20 and 40 minutes. The experiment was executed in
a completely randomized design. The analysis of variance showed that
both GA3 and combination treatments (GA3 /H2 SO 4 ) had significantly
higher seed germination percentage and germination rate than the control
and other treatments. The highest germination percentage (27.7%) and
germination rate (74x10-2 ) were obtained when the seeds were treated
with 250 ppm GA3 . Hydration and dehydration and soaking in hot water
and sulphuric acid were not effective in breaking seed dormancy in
Argemone mexicana seeds. The results indicated no physical or chemical
dormancy in the seed, but physiological or morpho-physiological
dormancy.