Abstract
Seeds of ‘Commanche’ petunia ( Petunia hybrida Vilm.) were germinated (GE) or imbibed (IM) on the surface of Laponite 445 or Natrosol 250 HHR gels prepared from 0, 0.5 or 1.0-fold Hoagland's solution. These seeds and dry seed (DS) were incorporated in the gels and extruded onto peat—vermiculite. When compared to a dry-seed control (without gels), DS in either gel without nutrient additive did not increase percentage of transplantable seedlings, but IM and GE resulted in a 32% increase. In comparing only fluid-drilled treatments, percentage of transplantable seedlings was increased by GE relative to IM in both gels, but by IM relative to DS only in Laponite. In both gels, emergence rate ( T 50) and uniformity ( T 10–90) and shoot fresh weight were influenced in the order GE > IM > DS. Increasing nutrient concentration in both gels decreased T 10–90 but had no effect on T 50 or shoot fresh weight. Percentage of transplantable seedlings was increased in Laponite but decreased in Natrosol with increasing gel nutrient concentration. The highest percentage of transplantable seedlings was achieved with GE in Natrosol without nutrient additive (75.4%) and in Laponite with the highest nutrient concentration (81%), each giving approximately one-half of the T 50 and T 10–90 values of the dry-seed control which yielded 53% transplantable seedlings.
Published Version
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