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Seed Germination and Seedling Growth Inhibition Caused by Safflower Seed Extracts¹

Wild safflower (Carthamus oxyacantha Bieb.), a close relative of cultivated safflower (C. tinctorius L.), is an excellent source of germplasm for adaptability and resistance to diseases and drought. However, its seed germinates poorly even under the most favorable laboratory conditions. Several experiments were conducted to determine the cause of low germination of wild safflower (WS) seed. When seeds (achenes) of WS were rinsed once and immediately germinated, the germination percentage increased by 16% over that of the check. Soaking seeds for 1 day doubled the germination percentage over the controls, and raised it to the viability level of the seed. Aqueous extracts of WS and cultivated safflower (CS) seeds caused dramatic decreases in the germination and seedling growth of WS and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seeds. The WS seed extract, although producing marked decreases in WS seed germination, was ineffective on CS seeds. Toxicity of these extracts was attributed to the high content of ions, salts, or other material which caused high osmotic potentials in the extracts. The boiled extract, although less effective than the unboiled, still produced significant deleterious effects on germination and seedling growth of WS, CS, and lettuce. Extracts from the WS embryos had a more pronounced effect on germination than that of the hulls

Key Words: Carthamus oxyacantha Bieb. • C. tinctorius L. • Lactuca ssativa L. • Osmotic potential • Germination

² Contribution from the Dep. of Agron., College of Agric., Shiraz Univ., Shiraz, Iran.

Received for publication February 12, 1979.