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Carbowax 6000, Mannitol, and Sodium Chloride for Simulating Drought Conditions in Germination Studies of Corn (Zea mays L.) of Strong and Weak Vigor¹

The investigations concerned the influences of simulated drought conditions on germination and early nonphotosynthetic stages of seedling growth of two lots of dent corn differing in energy. Carbowax polyethylene glycol 6000, (C6M), mannitol, and NaC1 were used osmotic substrates to prepare aqueous solutions having 0 to 10 atmospheres of osmotic pressure (O.P.), corresponding to ditfferent drought conditions. The tetrazolium test was used to evaluate seed energy.

Water absorbed by seeds decreased with increasing O.P. levels. Increased O.P. levels progressively delayed and reduced germination. Linear regression coefficients were –3.45, –1.09, and –0.49% germination per 1 atm O.P. for the above three substrates, respectively. The rapidity of gernfination and the seedling vigor in growth tests of the two lots tended to parallel the vigor ratings obtained from tetrazolium tests.

Trends were noted indicating more adverse effects of increasing O.P. levels on the low than on the high energy lot, and on the shoot than on primary root elongation. Correlation steadies indicated that shoot growth alone was an acceptable measure of evaluation for the simulated influence of drought conditions.

Key Words: seed quality • osmotic solutions

² Graduate student and Professor. Current address of Dr. M. T. Parmar is College of Agriculture, Junagadh, Gurarat State, India.

Received for publication September 5, 1967.

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