Evaluación de un método de escarificación mecánica en la germinación de semillas de leguminosas pratenses

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine a mechanical scarifcation method for removing hardseededness in the viability tests of annual forage legume accessions preserved in the seed collection of the Crop Production Area of the University of Oviedo. The effect of the compressed air injection on the germination percentage of seeds of Medicago lupulina, Medicago littoralis and Medicago polymorpha was evaluated in a mechanical scarifer of a metal drum lined with coarse sand paper during three periods of time (30, 60 and 120 seconds).There were statistical differences (p < 0.05) on the germination percentage between the control treatment (non scarifcation) and the scarifcation treatments, but not among scarifcation treatments (p > 0.05). On the other hand, nineteen annual forage legume accessions (Medicago sp., and Melilotus sp.) stored in the seed collection were pre-treated by the mechanical scarifcation with the injection of compressed air in the scarifer for 30 seconds. This scarifcation treatment improved the determination of germination of the accessions of annual forage legume accessions