The Effects of Some Dormancy Breaking Treatments and Temperature on Seed Vigor of Gum Tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer Labill.)

Abstract

This research was carried out to determine the effects of germination temperature and 12 dormancy breaking applications on the germination of the seeds of the gum tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer Labill.) bush. The research was carried out in the Field Crops Department laboratory, Iğdır University Faculty of Agriculture, in 2019. Gum tragacanth seeds were germinated for 28 days in the dark at constant temperatures of 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C and variable temperatures of 20/10 °C, 20/15 °C, 25/10 °C, and 25/15 °C. As a result of the research, the highest total germination rate was determined at 10.7% at 25/10 °C and 25/15 °C temperatures. It was determined that there was 89.3% dormancy in gum tragacanth seeds. Then, 12 dormancy breaking methods (matrix priming, hydro priming, gibberellic acid (GA3, potassium nitrate, cold, moist stratification, warm moist stratification, warm+cold moist stratification, cold+warm moist stratification, cold water, hot water, mechanical scarification, and chemical scarification) were applied. After dormancy breaking applications were made, the seeds were germinated again at 25/15 °C. At the end of the study, it was revealed that the highest total germination percentage with 50.7% was obtained from the application of hot water for 2 minutes. On the other hand, it was determined that matric priming, hydro priming, gibberellic acid, potassium nitrate, cold, moist stratification, warm moist stratification, cold+warm moist stratification, mechanical scarification, and chemical scarification applications did not have any effect on removing the dormancy status of gum tragacanth seeds.

Keywords

• astragalus gummifer
• dormancy breaking
• germination
• seed dormancy
• temperature