Vigour Assessment of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) Seed Lots in Relation to Predicting Seedling Emergence Potential

Abstract

The study aimed to test various vigour tests to correlate them with seedling emergence in two field sowing dates and two different sowing depths in controlled room emergence of ten dill seed lots. Mean germination time, accelerated aging; for 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours, electrical conductivity readings at 16 hours and 24 hours, and EC readings after AA test were used as vigour tests, and results were correlated with seedling emergence percentages. Seedling emergence was tested in two sowing dates in the field and two different sowing depths in controlled room conditions. Controlled room seedling emergence values (80-95% in 2 cm, 76-92% in 4 cm) were higher than those of field emergence values (67-85% in the first sowing and 60-80% in the second sowing). Most of the vigour tests were significantly correlated with emergence potential. The highest correlation values were observed in EC16h and EC24h tests, significance between emergence and these two vigour tests were at P<0.001 three out of four sowings. The results indicated that EC16h can be a fast, practical and easy method of seed vigour discrimination in dill seed lots.

Keywords

• accelerated aging
• electrical conductivity
• emergence correlations
• radicle emergence test
• seed vigour