Re: stratifying seeds

From: Mellard, David (dam7@cdc.gov)
Date: Tue Jan 20 1998 - 14:48:00 PST


Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 17:48:00 -0500
From: "Mellard, David" <dam7@cdc.gov>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg256$foo@default>
Subject: Re: stratifying seeds

Hi Ross,

> Simply place the seed in a paper envelope, immerse in water and
freeze
> for 36 hours. Thaw and sow (seed can dry again before sowing or
place
> the whole ice block on top of soil if not using a paper envelope).
> Used for Darlingtonia, my observations showed signs of germination
> (swelling and splitting of seed coat) after 1-2 weeks.

> This freezing method also works for Sarracenia with germination c.
> 4weeks later.

What an intriguing method for sterilizing Sarr seed. I'll have to do a
comparison with the stratifying method I use.

I thought it odd in Phil Sheridan's recent paper in the ICPS journal
that he got what I thought was a low germination rate. I don't remember
the percentage exactly but it was somewhere around 25%. I've never
calculated the rate of germination for my method, always being satisfied
with a blanket of seedlings in the 3 or 4 inch pot used for sowing.

For those of you that received Sarr seed from me, what do you think of
reporting back the various germination rates along with the
stratification method you used? One of the few things I remember from
those horrendous statistics courses was that it's better to use 10 pots
with 20 seeds in each pot than 1 pot with 200 seeds.

It could turn into one gigantic, nightmarish meta-analysis but it would
be fun anyways. Oh, well, the challenge is there.

David



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