The paper reviews the presence of weed seeds in the soil by using two methods, physical extraction and germination method. Soil sample, under maize field, were taken from three locations: Dragočaj, Hrvaćani I and Hrvaćani II, in the spring of 2010 and 2011 at a depth of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm. By physical extraction, on all three locations, it was determine 44 weed species and by germination method 13 weed species. The highest number of weeds, by both methods, was determine during 2011 on site Hrvaćani II, at the depth of 10-20 cm. By physical extraction it was determine 38438 seeds/square meter and by germination method 14688 plants/square meter. Method of physical extraction, for all ascertained weed species, has showed a higher efficiency in determining of weed content in the soil in relation to the germination method.

Germination of Cotton and Ground nut seeds was made by irrigated with distillery spentwash of different concentration. The spentwash i.e. primary treated spentwash [PTSW] 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 spentwash were analyzed for their plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and physical & chemical characteristics. Experimental soil was tested for its chemical physical parameters. Cotton and Ground nut seeds were sowed in the prepared land and irrigated with raw water (RW), 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 (SW: RW) spentwash. The nature of germination of seeds was studied. It was found that, the germination was good (100%) in 1:3 SW irrigation, while very poor in 1:1 SW (25%), moderate in 1:2 SW (80%) and 95% in RW irrigations.

In alpine species the classification of the various mechanisms underlying seed dormancy has been rather questionable and controversial. Thus, we investigated 28 alpine species to evaluate the prevailing types of dormancy. Embryo type and water impermeability of seed coats gave an indication of the potential seed dormancy class. To ascertain the actual dormancy class and level, we performed germination experiments comparing the behavior of seeds without storage, after cold-dry storage, after cold-wet storage, and scarification. We also tested the light requirement for germination in some species. Germination behavior was characterized using the final germination percentage and the mean germination time. Considering the effects of the pretreatments, a refined classification of the prevailing dormancy types was constructed based on the results of our pretreatments. Only two out of the 28 species that we evaluated had predominantly non-dormant seeds. Physiological dormancy was prevalent in 20 species, with deep physiological dormancy being the most abundant, followed by non-deep and intermediate physiological dormancy. Seeds of four species with underdeveloped embryos were assigned to the morphophysiologial dormancy class. An impermeable seed coat was identified in two species, with no additional physiological germination block. We defined these species as having physical dormancy. Light promoted the germination of seeds without storage in all but one species with physiological dormancy. In species with physical dormancy, light responses were of minor importance. We discuss our new classification in the context of former germination studies and draw implications for the timing of germination in the field.

(Abstract selected from presentation in National Conference on Biodiversity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Collection, Characterization and Utilization, held at Anand, India during November 24-25, 2010) Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. commonly known as Shalparni is a sub-tropical perennial spreading herb that grows in dry hilly areas, belongs to the family Fabaceae. This plant has unique medicinal value in Ayurveda. Information on various aspects of seed is lacking, as this information is vitally important for re-generation of plants as well as for ex-situ conservation of seeds in seed banks. Therefore, studies were conducted on seed morphology, anatomy, dormancy, germination and seed storage behaviour of the taxa with the aim to understand the above parameters for examining the feasibility of its ex-situ conservation in seed banks. Freshly harvested seed samples of D. gangeticum were procured from Zhandu Foundation, Gujrat. The seeds were examined for morphological and anatomical parameters. The seeds are bean shaped, smooth, creamish white in colour and measures 2.5 x 1.5 x 3.4 mm (length x width x thickness). Thousand seed weight is 1.5 gm. Seeds are non endospermic with small bent axile type embryo. Germination studies were conducted on top of the paper method by incubating the seeds in different temperatures. Preliminary germination studies revealed that most of the seeds remain ungerminated, due to physical dormancy as the seeds did not imbibe water. Therefore, several pre-treatments like hot water, dry heat, H2SO4 scarification for different duration were given prior to germination. Perusal of the data reveals that all the seed pre-treatments showed increase in percent germination compared to the control (with no treatment) and scarification by H2SO4 for 20 minutes was proved to be the best among all the treatments giving 92% of germination. Optimum temperature for germination was 250C; time taken for germination was 8 days. Physical dormancy is the second most widely occurring seed dormancy in Angiosperms. Anatomical studies of the seed reveal that physical dormancy is associated with exotesta having palisade epidermal layer of thick walled Malpighian cells that prevent passage of water to embryo. For leguminous seeds with physical dormancy to germinate, water impermeable layer must be made permeable, thereby allowing passage of water to embryo. In D. gangeticum seeds became permeable after the strophiole was disrupted by acid or hot water. Water impermeable seed coat help to retain low moisture content in the seeds even against high external humidity and therefore maintain seed viability for much longer period of time. Seeds with 5-7% moisture content retain 80-90% viability under ambient storage condition and are ideal for ex-situ conservation in seed banks.

M C Saxena, 'Survival of desi chickpeas in the population of kabuli landraces', International Chickpea Newsletter, vol. 1, pp.4-6, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, 2011 | Tests with seeds of desi (normal-seeded) and kabuli (bold-seeded) chickpea types, separated from the produce of the population of kabuli chickpea cv. Lebanese Local grown in Lebanon, showed that although laboratory germination of seeds of both types was similar, the field germination and germination in the accelerated aging test were markedly higher in the desi type than in kabuli type. The higher seed vigour and higher field germination of desi chickpea under adverse soil physical conditions at germination is 1 of the causes of its survival in the population of kabuli chickpea

This paper analyzes ten varieties of winter wheat, which were all developed in Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops. All of them are also recognized in the seed production of R. of Serbia. Experiments were conducted at three locations (Novi Sad, Pančevo and Sremska Mitrovica), during the 2009/2010. Grain yield, physical properties of grain (1000 grain weight and test weight) and seed quality traits (randman and germination) were analyzed. Common characteristic of all sites, during vegetation period, while the experiment was conducted, is that the temperature was slightly higher than average, precipitation were significantly higher than average, and insolation was significantly lower than average in previous couple of years. It was found that all the main factors of variation (site and variety) are significant for all traits analyzed. In general, interaction of cultivar / location is significant for all traits (except for germination), but it is relatively smaller then the main factors. Lower heritability in the broad sense of test weight (0.17), germination (0.19) and yield grain (0.22) shows that environmental conditions have more influence on this characteristic. Physical properties of seeds, test weight and 1000 grains are positively correlated with germination (0.703 and 0.494), negative correlation (-0.388) 1000 kernel weight and randman grains results with a higher seed in waste during finishing process, but as a result, a positive correlation (0.345) between yield and germination.

The in vitro pollen germination of sorghum is useful in viability, physiology and genetic transformation studies of pollen. However, the media reported are not efficient. The aim of this study was to formulate an artificial medium, and to determine the optimal conditions for in vitro pollen germination of sorghum. We used a factorial arrangement of concentrations of sucrose, boric acid and calcium nitrate, also evaluated the effect of pH, relative humidity, the physical state of the medium and the stage of flower development over germination. The conditions described in this paper allowed to obtain up to 51% of in vitro pollen germination from 14 varieties of sorghum. These findings show that for increasing in vitro germination, optimal formulation of the medium is required, as well as control over relative humidity and phonological stage of pollen collection.

Medicago scutellata and Medicago rigidula are two species of lucerne. As other legumes these exhibit dormancy, which delays and reduces germination. The germination response of these species to mechanical, physical and chemical scarification, applied for overcoming dormancy, has been studied. The almost full and rapid germination achieved by hand scarification with sandpaper, demonstrated that dormancy was exclusively imposed by seed coat (hardseededness). Soaking in hot water partially removed coat-imposed dormancy in these species, but in M. scutellata even after 2 min at 100°C, 97.9% of seeds still remained hard. Low temperature by keeping in refrigerator was also effective in final germination and germination rate in seeds of M. scutellata. After 10 days of freezing the germination rate increased by 90%. Keeping seeds on surface run off also had a great result. After 7 days germination rate in seed of M. scutellata became 90%. Chemical scarification with sodium hypochlorite was also effective in reducing hardseededness at the lowest concentration (2%) for the shortest time (2 min) in seeds of M. rigidula.