Effect of seed immersion in organic solvents on germinability

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Studies on the effects of solvents on germinability of seeds of various crops established the optimum conditions for immersing seeds in several solvents. Reduction in germinability,in vitroand in soil, of seeds of cotton, bean, pea, soya bean, and sugar beet after immersion in acetone, dichloromethane, or ethanol for various periods up to 24 h depended upon the length of immersion and the seed type and solvent used. Soya-bean and sugar-beet seeds were the least sensitive to the solvents whereas bean and cotton seeds were the most sensitive. Various cultivars of the same crop behaved similarly. The amount of seed germinationin vitrowas similar to that in soil. Solvent combinations consisting of acetone with dimethylsulphoxide, dichloroethane. polyethylene glycol, or triethanolamine did not affect cotton-seed germination in soil whereas soya-bean seeds were adversely affected by some materials. The amount of solvent taken up by the seeds and the amount of oxidizable matter extracted by the solvent depended upon the solvent and the crop. Maximum absorption of solvent occurred within 1 h. The amount of oxidizable material diffusing from seeds immersed in solvents was not correlated with the amount of solvent uptake or extent of seed germination.