Effect of temperature on seed germination of ten species and varieties ofLimnanthes

Abstract

Ten accessions of seed of the genus Limnanthes, representing seven species and their varieties, were tested for germination at temperatures of 40°, 50°, 60°, 70° F, and at room temperature varying from 72°–78° F. Four of the ten accessions germinated best at 40°, three at 50°, and three at 60° F. Germination was relatively poor at 70° F and almost zero at room temperature. The total germination averaged over all accessions was about the same for both 40° F and 50° F, slightly less for 60° F. Seeds at 60° F reached a peak in germination rate in four days; those at 50° F required six days; those at 40° F required 11 days. Seeds, started at room temperature and moved to 50° F 15 days later, attained only about half the total germination of a similar group of seeds originlly started at 50° F. Some of the species tested germinated almost equally well at 40°, 50°, or 60° F; others germinated best only at, or near, one of these temperatures. Substantially all of the seeds that germinated over a period of 50 days did so in less than 30 days; most of these germinated in the first 14 days.