KARAÇALI (Paliurus spina-christi Mill.) VE NAR (Punica granatum L.) TOHUMLARININ ÇİMLENME ÖZELLİKLERİNİN BELİRLENMESİ

Abstract

Effects of some pre-treatments (scarification and cold stratification) on seed performance of Christ's thorn and pomegranate were investigated in this study.  All seeds were collected from their natural habitats in Artvin, Turkey.  Pretreatments of scarification with sulfuric acid, cold stratification or scarification with sulfuric acid followed by cold stratification were applied to the seeds for dormancy removal. The seed of the species show a high degree of dormancy. Responses in germination varied and were clearly influenced by the methods used to break dormancy in the two species, and a combination of scarification and stratification resulted in highest germination percentages and germination rates in the species. Scarification with sulfuric acid for 30, 40, 50 or 60 min followed by 40 days cold stratification in  Christ's thorn gave the highest germination performance. Seed germination of  Christ's thorn following scarification for 40 min followed by 40 days stratification were also affected by temperature and provenance. The maximum value of germination performance was obtained when pomegranate seeds were scarified with concentrated sulfuric acid for 10 min and then cold-stratified for 60 days.