SEED AGE AND pH OF WATER SOLUTION EFFECTS ON FIELD PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L.) GERMINATION

The laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed age and water solution pH on field pea (Pisum sativum L.) germination energy, germination, seedling root length and stem height. Seeds aged 33 and 21 months and four water solution pH levels (5, 6, 7 and 8) were tested. The values of all investigated traits were significantly higher (p=0.01) for the 21 months old seed. Different water solution pH exerted an influence on germination, seedling root length, stem height (p=0.01) and germination energy (p=0.05). Irrespective of seed age, germination energy (61.50% in average) was highest at pH=7, whereas germination (70.75% in average) and root length (10.924 cm in average) at pH=6. The stem height of seedlings developed from 33 months old seeds was highest at pH=6. Furthermore, the stem height of seedlings grown from 21 months old seeds was highest at pH=5