Radicle Emergence Test Standardization to Forecast Field Emergence and Seed Vigour in Hordeum vulgare L.

Abstract

A study was conducted to discover the use of RE single counts in testing vigour and predicting seedling establishment in seed lots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). We compared the RE counts at 20 °C at intervals of 16, 24 and 40 h and also at 15 °C for 24 h, with electrical conductivity (EC), germination percentage (GP), field emergence (FE), and mean germination time (MGT), using 8 seed lots of barley. Radicle emergence counts at 15 °C for 24 h and at 20 °C for 16, 24 and 40 h showed a high correlation with two parameters of seed vigour (MGT and FE), and their correlation coefficients were greater than 0.70 (p < 0.05). Usable correlation coefficients were realized after 24 h both at 15 °C and 20 °C. The results of the test showed that RE single counts are useful in testing vigour in barley seeds. The results also proved that single counts of radical emergence (RE), were useful in indicating the potential of emergence in barley seedlings.