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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188538
Title: DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE FOR BREAKING SEED DORMANCY IN SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) GENOTYPES

Author
item MAITI, R - VIBHA AGROTECH LTD, INDIA
item VIDYASAGAR, P - VIBHA AGROTECH LTD, INDIA
item SHAHAPUR, S - VIBHA AGROTECH LTD, INDIA
item GHOSH, S - VIBHA AGROTECH LTD, INDIA
item Seiler, Gerald

Submitted to: Helia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2006
Publication Date: 12/15/2006
Citation: Maiti, R.K., Vidyasagar, P., Shahapur, S.C., Ghosh, S.K., Seiler, G.J. 2006. Development and standardization of a simple technique for breaking seed dormancy in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Helia. 29(45):117-126.

Interpretive Summary: Dormancy in seeds of cultivated sunflower insures that they do not germinate in temperate climates until conditions are optimal for seedling survival. Seed dormancy causes a great problem in efficient commercial seed production of sunflower. There has been an interest in overcoming the dormancy period so seeds can be planted sooner after harvest. Attempts have been made to develop simple techniques for breaking seed dormancy. Some chemical techniques using growth regulators have been developed, but they are too expensive for use by farmers in developing countries. In the first experiment, different techniques were evaluated using treatments such as a growth regulator, Ethrel, priming (water soaking followed by 2 to 3 days drying in shade), chemicals such as acetone, and potassium nitrate which showed the most promise. To confirm these findings, we evaluated the following treatments; 25% acetone, 0.2% potassium nitrate, and 24 h water soaking followed by drying on 12 genotypes to break seed dormancy. Priming for 24 h in water followed by 2 to 3 days of drying is considered a simple and promising technique to break seed dormancy. This will need to be further tested using sunflower genotypes with different maturity groups and also with different periods of soaking in future experiments.

Technical Abstract: Seed dormancy causes a great problem in efficient seed production of sunflower. Attempts have been made to develop simple techniques for breaking seed dormancy. In the first experiment, different techniques were evaluated using treatments such as a growth regulator, Ethrel, priming (water soaking followed by 2 to 3 days drying in shade), chemicals acetone (CH3COCH3), and potassium nitrate (KNO3) which showed the most promise. To confirm these findings, we evaluated the following treatments, 25% acetone, 0.2% KNO3, and 24 h water soaking followed by drying, on 12 genotypes to break seed dormancy. Priming for 24 h in water is considered a simple and promising technique to break seed dormancy. This needs to be further confirmed using sunflower genotypes with different maturity groups and also with different periods of soaking in future experiments.