The Germination of the Seeds of Rhinanthus Crista-galli

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Abstract
The germination of the seeds of Rhinanthus Crista-galli has been induced by exposing them to moisture at 2° C. for periods of from 17 weeks to over a year, depending on the amount of dry storage to which the seeds had previously been subjected. Germination could not be brought about by moisture-treatment at 20° C. During moisture-treatment at 2° C. the respiration rate falls significantly after an initial increase, and then gradually rises, after which germination takes place. Generally, respiration is significantly lower during moisture-treatment at 20° C. Analyses of the treated seeds suggest that the respiratory substrate might be protein. It was found by paper chromatography that during moisture-treatment at 2° C. the number of amino-acids in the alcohol extract first diminishes and then increases, reaching a maximum in the ungerminated seed just before germination becomes apparent. Differences were detected in the amino-acids found in the alcohol extracts of seeds treated at 2° C. compared with those moisture-treated at 20° C. Reasons are given which suggest that the limiting factor in the germination process may be the nature and rate of the hydrolysis of the reserve proteins of the seeds.