Comparison of two culture media for breaking seed dormancy and germination improvement in four species of Linum L.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different treatments in breaking dormancy and to increase germination percentage and days to germination in two media of water with agar and Murashige and Skoog (MS) growth medium in four species of Linum L. namely, L. mucronatum, L. nervosum, L. album and L. austriacum. Stages of breaking dormancy were incorporated with the exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA₃) (400, 800 and 1600 part per million (ppm) for periods of 72, 96, 144 and 168 h at 4°C; sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) (25, 40 and 50%) for periods of 10, 15, 20 and 25 min and washing in 70°C running water for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h and some combined treatments such as H₂SO₄ with GA₃ and H₂SO₄ with washing in 70°C running water treatments. Germination of four species of Linum significantly increased in higher concentrations of GA₃ (1600 ppm). ‘/ The best result in H₂SO₄ treatments was recorded at 25% concentration for 25 min. Also, the percentage germination and days to germination in each of the four species were higher and faster in water with agar medium in comparison to MS growth medium. These results suggest that the Linum seeds have exogenous and endogenous dormancy.

Key words: Dormancy, germination, MS media, Linum species, water + agar medium.