| heal.abstract |
Seeds of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars E-84066 and Yolo Wonder were produced over three seasons between 1988 and 1990 and stored at ambient (25 ± °C) and low (5 °C) temperature. During 42 months of storage, seeds of E-84066 deteriorated more rapidly than those of Yolo Wonder, especially at 25 °C. However, the rate of deterioration varied between seasons. When storage time was extended to 56 months (E-84066) and 68 months (Yolo Wonder) seeds of both cultivars stored at 25 °C showed reduced germination under laboratory conditions, whereas those stored at 5 °C, was very low (2-7% for E-84066 and 17.5% for Yolo Wonder stored at 25 °C). Emergence in these cases was greatly increased by osmoconditioning the seed prior to sowing, but the effectiveness of this treatment depended on the viability of the seeds as indicated in the tetrazolium test. |
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