Soaking, moist-chilling, and temperature effects on germination of <i>Acer pensylvanicum</i> seeds

Abstract

The effect on germination of soaking duration, moist-chilling time, and temperature was evaluated using five seed lots of Acer pensylvanicum L. Seeds were soaked for 0, 48, 72, or 96 h, then moist chilled at 4 °C for 16, 24, or 32 weeks. Two temperature regimes were used for germination: (i) 16 h dark at 5 °C : 8 h light at 15 °C (5:15 °C) and (ii) 16 h dark at 20 °C : 8 h light at 30 °C (20:30 °C). Soaking and chilling seeds significantly increased germination. Germination was highest at 5:15 °C, but the germination speed was slow. Germination at 20:30 °C was lower, but 94%–98% of ungerminated seeds appeared to be viable, suggesting that they were dormant. Overall results showed that soaking seeds for 48 h, moist chilling for 16 weeks, and germinating at 5:15 °C produced an average germination of 92%.