Germination characteristics of seeds differing in mass

Abstract

AbstractGerminability and the rate of germination were related to seed mass inLithospermum arvenseL. andAnchusa arvensis(L.) Bieb. Prior to germination experiments, seeds from two populations of each species had been sorted into nine similarly sized groups according to their seed mass. Germinability varied greatly among the different seed-mass fractions inL. arvense, while differences were smaller inA. arvensis. Germination rate varied with seed mass in some cases. However, in many cases where clear patterns in the relationship between germination characteristics and seed mass were found, these patterns differed both between species and between populations. Furthermore, the character of the relationship varied depending on the experimental conditions used. It is hard to identify the cause of these relations since within- and between-plant variability can affect both seed mass and germination characteristics independently. It is concluded that the results of a germination test can differ depending on the seed mass fractions used, but that the magnitude and direction of such differences are difficult to foresee. Therefore, seed batches should be prepared with care, and experiments designed with awareness of the importance of the germination conditions chosen.