Abnormal Growth and Development in Pea resulting from Exposure to Adverse Conditions during Germination

Abstract

Kidd and West¹ showed that the amount of growth made by a plant could be determined by the conditions to which the germinating seed was exposed. In their investigations they measured the yield obtained from plants grown from seed soaked in water for varying lengths of time, and they found that in most cases of extended soaking, though the seed germinated more rapidly than seed planted directly in moist soil, the yield obtained from such seedlings was reduced. Their observations of ‘physiological predetermination’ have been carried further by examining the effect of soaking peas (Pisum sativum L.) in water. With this species when seeds are soaked in water for 48 hr. the seedlings that eventually develop may be abnormal (Fig. 1). Normally a small number of seeds, 200, is soaked in a large volume, 500 ml., of tap water kept at 20° C. in darkness. The depth of water covering the seeds was 15 cm., and the soaking can best be done in 500-ml. Erlenmeyer flasks.