Vol. 71 No: 2

Title:
Gibberellic Acid During Priming of Echinacea Purpurea (L.) Moench Seeds Improves Performance After Seed Storage

Authors:
W.G. PILL and J.G. HAYNES

pp: 287-296

Abstract:
Seed of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) primed at -0.4 MPa (15°C, 10 d in darkness) either matrically in fine exfoliated vermiculite or osmotically in polyethylene glycol had higher rate, synchrony and percentage of seedling emergence than non-primed seeds. Inclusion of 10^-6 M gibberellic acid (GA₃) during priming enhanced the benefits of priming by increasing further the emergence rate and synchrony, seedling shoot dry weight, and petiole and lamina lengths of the first true leaf. Inclusion of 10^-2 M ethephon, alone or with GA₃, during priming had no effect on subsequent seed germination or seedling emergence. Primed seeds stored at high or low moisture concentrations for one month at 4° or 20°C, compared with freshly primed seeds, showed no reduction in rate, synchrony or percentage of seedling emergence. Matric priming, compared with osmotic priming, reduced the amount of GA₃ per seed needed during priming to give similar germination benefits and avoided post-transplanting plant lodging associated with elongated internodes.

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