Standard germination and seedling emergence of maize inbred lines in different temperature conditions

Abstract

Standard laboratory germination seed test provides information on seed performance under defined environmental conditions aiming to estimate field planting value. Purpose of this study was to compare results from the standard germination test with seedling emergence in different outside temperature conditions. Sowing was done in three periods during spring, in trays exposed to outside conditions. Data obtained showed that differences in the germination, detected in the standard laboratory test, were also confirmed in field conditions. Expression of these differences, however, was dependent on temperature conditions during different sowing periods. Low temperatures during the early sowing were more discriminative than later temperature increase which completely reduced differences detected in the standard germination test.

Keywords

• sowing time
• field emergence
• laboratory test
• Zea mays L