| heal.abstract |
When seeds of aubergine (Solanum melongena L.) var. Emi and Long Negro were covered with perlite after sowing, a large percentage of the seedlings were unable to shed the testa during emergence. Under conditions of high atmospheric humidity the cotyledons would be expected to subsequently free themselves of the testa, but in the warm, dry climate of the Mediterranean region (especially between June and September) this process is more difficult, and when the tips of both cotyledons were trapped within the testa, early plant growth was significantly inhibited. Testa retention was reduced when seeds were covered with peat, a mixture of peat and perlite, or with 1 cm sand, but when the sowing depth in sand was increased to 3 cm emergence was reduced. Osmoconditioning or the soaking of seeds in cold water (15-18°C for 24 h) or warm water (45°C for 20 or 45 min) also reduced testa retention, but deep (3 cm) sowing of seeds that had been treated for 45 min at 45°C reduced emergence. |
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