Methods for breaking hard seed to allow germination of 2 seedlots of Macrotyloma daltonii (Webb) Verdc., were investigated. Treatments included soaking, application of dry heat, hot water, acid scarification, sand paper scarification, pre-chilling, alone and in combination with acid and dry heat. The treated seeds were tested for germination over 21 days in an incubator with 12h of light and 12h of darkness and temperatures of 25 and 18°C during the light and dark phases, respectively.
A 20-min exposure to 98% concentrated sulphuric acid was most effective in increasing germination from 10 to 80% in seedlot 1. The 10-min acid treatment increased germination from 21 to 38% in seedlot 2, but 20min reduced germination and increased the number of dead seeds. Seedlot 1 had greater levels of hard seed (88%) than seedlot 2 (61%). Soaking, hot water, dry heating, pre-chilling, or sandpaper scarification were not effective in breaking hard seed in either seedlot 1 or 2. Combining pre-chilling with 10min of acid treatment damaged seed and impaired germination across the 2 seedlots. The range of pre-sowing seed treatments that indicated positive effects on germination, particularly acid treatments need to be further investigated in the field under different pedo-climatic conditions to allow appropriate rangeland management options to be developed.
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