Epsilon Open Archive

Abstract

In this investigation the results of germinability of ten samples each of Pinus silvestris and Picea abies seed by the indigo carmine and the x-ray contrast methods are compared with their germination values on Jacobsen apparatus. Two different criteria, namely those of Hao (1939) and Krzeszkiewicz (1939) were used for judging the germinability by the indigo carmine method. In general, the values of germinability of the samples by the indigo carmine method agreed better with the germination values in the case of samples with high viability than in those with reduced viability. On an average, the germinability values after Krzeszkiewicz showed relatively larger variation from the germination values than those after Hao. The results of germinability by the x-ray contrast method agreed well with the germination percentages in all the samples of both the species. The investigation has shown that the x-ray contrast method is more reliable than the indigo carmine method for rapid determination of the germinability of Scots pine and Norway spruce seed.