Plant Growth Regulation

, Volume 11, Issue 3, pp 249–255 | Cite as

Seed and seedling vigour in relation to crop growth and yield

  • R. H. Ellis
Research Paper
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

In theory, seed germination, vigour and size (three aspects of seed quality) may influence crop yield through both indirect and direct effects. The indirect effects include those on percentage emergence and time from sowing to emergence. These influence yield by altering plant population density, spatial arrangement, and crop duration. Direct effects on subsequent plant performance are more difficult to discern. A number of different approaches to testing the hypothesis that seed quality affects subsequent plant performance (implicit in some definitions of vigour) are illustrated. The results show that it is possible to detect such effects in some circumstances.

Key words

Seed quality seed vigour relative growth rate crop yield 
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Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. H. Ellis
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of AgricultureUniversity of ReadingReadingUK

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