A SEED-TESTING KEY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 21 August 1916, Page 129

A SEED-TESTING KEY.

PROGRESSIVE AVERAGE GERMINATION.

A. H. COCKAYNE, Biologist.

Rapid determination of germinating-capacity is a matter, of great importance in the buying of agricultural seeds, and anything in the i shape of a ready reckoner ” : should be of much 'assistance to those concerned. In order that the interim reports on seedsamples ' submitted to the Department ’ for analysis may be the more valuable in determining with a great degree of i accuracy the worth as regards germination of a line of seed under . test,' the writer has had drawn up the set of tables on ■ pages 122 and 123. These tables are compiled . from analyses of some ten thousand samples that have been tested in the Biological Laboratory, during the past four years, and give the progressive average germination of the main varieties of seed sent in for test.

Each species of seed is divided into four grades: Grade 1 represents first-class commercial lines; Grade 2, lines of good average quality ; Grade 3, lines below average quality ; and Grade 4, lines of very little worth. The last column of figures for each grade in the tables is the final average germination capacity of all lines germinating within the range of that grade.

As indicated, the tables are intended to be used ' in conjunction with my (the Biologist's) . interim , reports, and an illustration will make their application clear. Supposing, for instance, that the interim report on four perennial rye-grass samples reads as follows : Sample No. i. —86 per cent, average germination.in four days. Sample No. 2. — per cent, average germination in four days. Sample No. 3. —49 per cent, average germination in four days. Sample. No. 4. —26 per cent, average germination in four days.

Then, by reference to the tables it can be safely inferred that the lines Nos. 1,2, 3, and 4 will give a final germination somewhere near 92 per cent., 77 per cent.,. 60 per cent., and 34 per cent, respectively. The information thus afforded (together with the purity -report) will enable the worth of a line of seed under offer to be rapidly decided.

Seed. Grade. Average Germination Capacity after Specified . Number of Days. . . Average Germination. 3 Days. 4 Days. 5 Days. 6 Days. 8 Days. 10 Days. 12 Days. 14 Days. 16 Days. 18 Days. 20 Days. ■ % % % % 0/ % °/ % % % • °/ % Cocksfoot i. (80-100%) ... 26 39 46 68 71 82 83 84 85 86 86 2. (60-79%) • • 14 23 33 53 58 65 7o 71 . 7i 73 73 3- (40-59%) • ■ 12 19 21 35 39 44 47 48 49 52 52 4. (Under 39%) 6 8 10 15 17 19 19 20 21 22 22 Perennial, rye1. (85-100%) .. 67 87 88 89 90 91 91 92 . 92 .. grass 2. (70-84%) .. 53 68 72 72 74 75 76 77 77 3. (50-69%) . . 39 50 53 55 56 57 58 60 60 4. (Under 50%) 17 26 27 28 32 33 33 34 ■ 34 Italian rye-grass 1. (85-100%) . . 77 87 89 91 92 92 93 93 2. (70-84%) . . 54 7i 74 77 77 78 78 78 3- (50-69%) .. 48 52 58 59 60 60 62 62 4. (Under 50%) ■ 20 32 33 35 37 37 38 38 Crested dogstail 1. (80-100%) .. 8 34 52 67 85 • 85 88 88 89 89 92 92 2. (60-79%) • • 2 13 27 5° , 53 59 64 66 67 62 70 70 3- (40-59%) •• 2 6 23 23 37 38 46 49 49 50 55 55 • 4. (Under 40%) 2 5 II II 12 19 19 23 24 27 29., 29 Chewings fescue 1. (85-100%) .. ' . - 49 68 77 8r 84 88 8991 92 92 2. (70-84%) .. . . *• 39 39 44 44 63 63 68 68 77 77 ■ 77 77 79 79 80 80 80 80 80 80 3. (50-69%) . . 22 28 38 41 51 57 58 61 62 62 4. (Under 50%) 12 25 . 26 28 28 32 33 33 34 34 Meadow-fescue 1. (85-100)% .. 65 87 89 90 91 92 93 94 94 2. (70-84%) .. 26 77 78 80 81 82 83 83 ■ 83 3- (50-69%) .. 52 53 58 60 60 60 61 61 4. (Under 50%) 20 22 25 26 26 29 31 31 Tall fescue 1. (8o-roo%) .. 60 71 78 83 - 83 84 85 85 85 85 1 2. (60-79%) ■ • 2. (60-79%) • • ' 53 53 68 68 70 70 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 72 72 72 72 72 72 3- (40-59%) • • 17 36 44 45 47 47 47 48 51 51 . 4. (Under 40%) 15 16 17 17 ' 18 ’ 18 19 ■ 23 25 25 Sheep’s fescue r. (Over 60%).. 30 38 5i 59 63 : 657o 70 2idys 7i 71 (hard fescue) 2. (45-60%) .. 20 26 42 43 5i 53 53 54 55 55 3- (30-44%) • • 7 15 24 27 34 35 36 36 38 38 4. (Under 30%) 6 12 12 16 17 17 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 • - 1 Average Germination Capacity after Specified 0- * bJD d Number of Days. Seed* ■ <-s 4 6 7 8 10 12 14 16 18 22 24 Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. d 0 EO ■ 0/ % 0/ zo /o % 0/ 0/ 0/ /o % °/ % ■ % % % 0/ %■ % • % % 0/ % % 0/ % Meadow-foxtail 1. (Over 50%).. 36 26 37 52 54 56 56 57 58 58 2. (35-50%) .. 23 27 32 34 3.6 36 37 40 41 41 3. (20-34%) • • • 13 19 21 23 24 25 25 26 28 29 29 4. (Under 20%) 8 10 12 ■ 13 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 2odys 22dys Poa trivialis and 1. (75-ioo%) .. 32 69 75 80 81 82 82 83 83 83 83 Pnemoralis 2. (60-74%) 25 46 51 54 56 59 60 61 62 62 3- (45-59%) • • 23 36 42 45 47 50 53 54 54 54 4. (Under 45%) . 16 21 . 22 27 28 28 29 29 29 29 Poa pratensis 1. (75-100%) .. 20 41 60 66 68 75 76 77 77 79 79 2. (60-74%) •• 1-5 29 ' 37 48 55 55 56 63 63 65 65 3- (45-59%) 8 20 31 36 38 45 45 46 49 53 53 4. (Under 45%) 6 8 II 15 21 24 24 27 27 31 31

TABLE SHOWING THE PROGRESSIVE AVERAGE GERMINATION OF THE MOST COMMON AGRICULTURAL SEEDS.

Seed. .Grade. Average Germination Capacity after Specified Number of Days. 2-2 lation 2 Days. 3 Days. 4 Days. 5 Days. 6 Days. 8 Days. 10 . Days. Hard Seeds counted as germinated. 5 8 ■ A £ Ger mir Lucerne and English trefoil .1. (85-100%) .. 2. (75-84%) 3- (60-74%) 4. (Under 60%) % zo 75 ‘ 55 43 % zo 82 71 50 % 85 72 54 0/ /o 86 73 60 % /o 88 74 62 ■ 0/ /o 88 75 62 ‘ /o zo 88 76 • 62 . ' % ' ZO 4 5 8 0/ ZO 92 81 70 ■■ White clover and alsike 1. (90-100%) .. 2. (75-89%) 3- (60-74%) 4. (Under 60%) 69 56 30 15 83 61 40 29 84 • 70 56. ■ 30 86 7i 56 32 87 73 58 33 88 ' 77 61 33 89 77 62 36 4 7 7 4 93 84 - 69 • 40 Red clover cow-grass and 1. (90-100%) .. 2. (75-89%) 3. (60-74%) 4. (Under 60%) 83 55 36 28 90 63 41 •30 90 74 ' 50 32 92 75 58 38 92 78 59 40 92 79 60 45 93 81 64 45 . 3 96 5 86 2 66 2 47 96 86 66 47 Seed. Grade. Average Germination Capacity after Specified Number of Days. Average Germination. 2 Days. 3 Days. 1 4 Days. 5 Days. 6 . Days. 8 Days. IO Days. • 12 Days. 14 Days. Timothy 1. (go-roo%) .. 2. (75-89%) 3. (60-74%) 4. (Under 60%) % Zo 41 35 30 4 % 83 7i 60 5 % 89 ■ 72 - : 63 ■ 7 0/ • /o % ' zo 93 80 63 15 % /o 94 83 68 16 0/ ZO 95 84 70 23 % 96 84 70 24 % . % 96 84 70 24 Fiorin (Agrostis spp.) 1. (90-100%) .. 2. (75-89%) •• 3. (60-75%) 4. (Under 60%) 56 50 rd 64 62 14 78 7° 30 80 79 60 33 83 80 35 92 82 4.1 93 85 70 42 93 85 70 43 Rape .. 1. (90-100%) . . 2. (80-89%) •• 3- (65-79%) 4. (Under 65%) 83 92 61 93 . 79 63 94 79 63 95 . 80 64 96 81 65 96 ■ 86 73 96 86 73 Swede 1. (90-100%) . . 2. (80-89%) •• 3- (65-79%) 4. (Under 65%) 83 58 84 ‘ 61 50 37 90 68 54 38 92 72 56 42 93 78 70 5i 94 82 73 58 95 85 76 59 95 85 76 59 Turnip 1. (go-roo%) .. ’ - 1. (go-roo%) '.. 2. (80-90%) 3. (65-80%) .. 4. (Under 65%).. 74 62 47 30 88 70 54 32 92 80 62 36 93 80 67 40 94 81 70 48 94 83 72 50 97 86 75 53 97 86 75 53 Seed. Grade. Average Germination (per 100 Seed-clusters) after Specified Number of Days. x 0 J ana rt .2 Number of Sprouts per roo Seedclusters. 5 Days. 7 Days. 8 Days. • 10 Days. 12 Days. 14 Days. 16 Days. 18 Days. 20 Days. 22 Days. 5 8 Final A Germii Mangel and beet ■ r. (Over rso) .. 2. (100-149) 3- (80-99) 4. (Under 80) . . Spr’ts 120 72 43 ■ 3i Spr’ts 130 85 ■ 52 36 Spr’ts 136 . 86 56 36 Spr’ts 143 9i69 45 Spr’ts 155 104 ■ 77 ‘ . 46 Spr’ts 162 107 84 48 Spr’ts 170 115 86 54 Spr’ts 176 122 88 59 Spr’ts 176 123 9° 65 Spr’ts 178 124 92 68 Spr’ts 178 124 92 68

TABLE SHOWING THE PROGRESSIVE AVERAGE GERMINATION OF THE MOST COMMON AGRICULTURAL SEED S— continued.