Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T19:07:49.849Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of seed quality: from physiology to international standardization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2012

S. Matthews ,
E. Noli ,
I. Demir ,
M. Khajeh-Hosseini  and
M.-H. Wagner
S. Matthews*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Science, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Building, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK
E. Noli
Affiliation:
University of Bologna, Italy
I. Demir
Affiliation:
University of Ankara, Turkey
M. Khajeh-Hosseini
Affiliation:
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
M.-H. Wagner
Affiliation:
GEVES, France
*
*Correspondence Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Seed quality standards enable seed users to achieve their objectives in the establishment of uniform seedlings to a high and reliable level for a range of agricultural and horticultural crops, growing systems and market outlets. Quality standards of commercial seed lots are determined by their positions on the seed survival curves and the shape of their germination progress curves. Although comparative descriptions of germination curves can be achieved by the calculation of the mean germination time (MGT; delay to radicle emergence), single early counts of radicle emergence provide a convenient means of predicting MGT and differences between seed lots. Evidence is presented for an ageing and metabolic repair hypothesis as the overall physiological basis to explain the principles behind the standard germination and vigour tests (ageing, electrolyte leakage, cold test, germination rate and seedling size). The work of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) in developing convenient, inexpensive and internationally repeatable tests is illustrated.

Keywords

metabolic repairseed ageingseed qualityvigour test
Type
Review Article
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 22 , Supplement S1: Seed Science in the 21st Century , February 2012 , pp. S69 - S73
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baalbaki, R.; Elias, S.; Marcos-Filho, J. and McDonald, M.B. (Eds) (2009) Seed vigour testing handbook. Ithaca, New York, Association of Official Seed Analysts.Google Scholar
Berjak, P. and Villiers, T.A. (1972) Ageing in plant embryos. II. Age-induced damage and repair during early germination. New Phytologist 71, 135–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bettey, M. and Finch-Savage, W.E. (1996) Respiratory enzyme activities during germination in Brassica seed lots of differing vigour. Seed Science Research 6, 165–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckley, W.J. and Buckley, K.E. (2009) Low molecular weight volatile indicators of canola seed deterioration. Seed Science and Technology 37, 676–690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dell'Aquila, A. (2007) Towards new computer imaging techniques applied to seed quality testing and sorting. Seed Science and Technology 35, 529–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demir, I., Ermis, S., Mavi, K. and Matthews, S. (2008) Mean germination time of pepper seed lots (Capsicum annuum L.) predicts size and uniformity of seedlings in germination tests and transplant modules. Seed Science and Technology 36, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demir, I., Mavi, K., Kananoglu, B.B. and Celikkol, T. (2010) Hydration treatment improves the performance of low vigour seed lots of pepper through metabolic repair. p. 25 in 29th ISTA Congress Cologne Seed Symposium Abstracts. Zurich, International Seed Testing Association.Google Scholar
Ducournau, S., Feutry, A., Plainchault, P., Revollan, P., Vigouvoux, B. and Wagner, M.-H. (2005) Using computer vision to monitor germination time course of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seed. Seed Science and Technology 33, 329–340.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. (1992) Seed and seedling vigour in relation to crop growth and yield. Plant Growth Regulation 11, 249–255.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. (1980) Towards a rational basis for testing seed quality. pp. 605–635 in Hebblethwaite, P.D. (Ed.) Seed production. London, Butterworths.Google Scholar
ISTA (2010) International rules for seed testing. Zurich, International Seed Testing Association.Google Scholar
Khajeh-Hosseini, M., Lomholt, A. and Matthews, S. (2009) Mean germination time in the laboratory estimates the relative vigour and field performance of commercial seed lots of maize (Zea mays L.). Seed Science and Technology 37, 446–456.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khajeh-Hosseini, M., Nasehzadeh, M. and Matthews, S. (2010) Rate of physiological germination relates to the percentage of normal seedlings in standard germination tests of naturally aged seed lots of oilseed rape. Seed Science and Technology 38, 602–611.Google Scholar
Matthews, S. and Khajeh-Hosseini, M. (2007) Length of the lag period of germination and metabolic repair explain vigour differences in seed lots of maize (Zea mays). Seed Science and Technology 35, 200–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matthews, S., Beltrami, E., El-Khadem, R., Khajeh-Hosseini, M., Nasehzadeh, M. and Urso, G. (2011) Evidence that time for repair during early germination leads to vigour differences in maize. Seed Science and Technology 39, 501–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mavi, K., Demir, I. and Matthews, S. (2010) Mean germination time estimates relative emergence of seed lots of three cucurbit crops under stressful conditions. Seed Science and Technology 38, 14–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLaren, G., Cockerell, V. and Matthews, S. (2010) Early counts of physiological germination (radicle emergence) relate to percentage normal seedlings and field emergence in seed lots of oil seed rape. p. 63 in 29th ISTA Congress Cologne Seed Symposium Abstracts. Zurich, International Seed Testing Association.Google Scholar
Mirdad, Z., Powell, A.A. and Matthews, S. (2006) Prediction of germination in artificially aged seeds of Brassica spp. using the bulk conductivity test. Seed Science and Technology 34, 273–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osborne, D.J. (1983) Biochemical control systems operating in the early hours of germination. Canadian Journal of Botany 61, 3568–3577.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powell, A.A. and Matthews, S. (2005) Towards the validation of the controlled deterioration vigour test for small-seeded vegetables. Seed Testing International 129, 21–23.Google Scholar
Powell, A.A., Matthews, S. and Oliveira, M. de A. (1985) Seed quality in grain legumes. pp. 217–285 in Coaker, T.H. (Ed.) Advances in applied biology, Vol. X. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Thornton, J.M. and Powell, A.A. (1992) Short term aerated hydration for the improvement of seed quality in Brassica oleracea L. Seed Science Research 2, 41–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Burg, J. (2009) Raising seed quality: what is in the pipeline? pp. 177–185 in Responding to the challenges of a changing world: the role of new plant varieties and high quality seed in agriculture. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organisation.Google Scholar
Waterworth, W.M., Masnavi, G., Bhardwaj, R.M., Jiang, Q., Bray, C.M. and West, C.E. (2010) A DNA ligase is an important determinant of seed longevity. Plant Journal 63, 848–860.CrossRefGoogle Scholar