Osmoconditioning and ageing of pepper seeds during storage

The effects of osmoconditioning on the germination at 15 and 25 °C of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds were studied over a 3-year period with respect to temperature of storage. Untreated seeds stored at 5 °C showed high germinability throughout the entire storage period, whereas untreated seeds stored at 25 °C showed a progressive decline in germinability, especially when assayed at 15 °C. Seeds that had been osmoconditioned prior to storage retained a high level of germinability irrespective of either storage or germination temperatures. When seeds that had been stored at 25 °C were osmoconditioned after storage, there was a significantly higher germinability (assayed at 15 °C) in comparison with the corresponding untreated seeds. Seeds that were osmoconditioned twice (prior to and after storage) germinated in a similar way to those that had been osmoconditioned once only © 1989 Annals of Botany Company

Osmoconditioning and ageing of pepper seeds during storage

The effects of osmoconditioning on the germination at 15 and 25 °C of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds were studied over a 3-year period with respect to temperature of storage. Untreated seeds stored at 5 °C showed high germinability throughout the entire storage period, whereas untreated seeds stored at 25 °C showed a progressive decline in germinability, especially when assayed at 15 °C. Seeds that had been osmoconditioned prior to storage retained a high level of germinability irrespective of either storage or germination temperatures. When seeds that had been stored at 25 °C were osmoconditioned after storage, there was a significantly higher germinability (assayed at 15 °C) in comparison with the corresponding untreated seeds. Seeds that were osmoconditioned twice (prior to and after storage) germinated in a similar way to those that had been osmoconditioned once only © 1989 Annals of Botany Company

Osmoconditioning of seeds in relation to growth and fruit yield of aubergine, pepper, cucumber and melon in unheated greenhouse cultivation

Seeds of aubergine, pepper, cucumber and melon were osmotically conditioned in mannitol solutions and dried back to their original weight prior to sowing. Seedling emergence and initial growth, yield, fruit quality (grade) and mean fruit weight were recorded throughout the cultivation. Osmoconditioning promoted early emergence of the seedlings in all cases and, with the exception of cucumber cultivar 'Sandra', encouraged more rapid growth of the plant for at least 1 month after emergence. There was no effect of treatment on the total yield of any crop, and where differences in early yield occurred these were generally not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in fruit quality (grade) or size between treatments except for melons, where fruits from osmoconditioned seed were smaller than the controls. It is concluded that the application of osmoconditioning of seeds to commercial production is limited to its effects on germination and early growth alone. © 1989