Sulfuric acid as a germination stimulator in forage soybean seeds (Neonotonia wightii)

• Published in: Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronomía, Medellín Medellín, 2024-12, Vol.77 (3), p.10833-10838
• Main Authors: Reina García, Jhusua David, Almaguer Vargas, Gustavo, Cruz Castillo, Juan Guillermo, Guerra Ramírez, Diana, Castañeda Vildozola, Álvaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; AGRONOMY; Controlled conditions; Cover crops; Design of experiments; Experimental design; Germination; Gibberellic acid; Immersion; Latency; Legumes; Neonotonia wightii; Relative humidity; Seeds; Sodium hypochlorite; Soybeans; Stimulators; Submerging; Sulfuric acid
• ISSN: 0304-2847; 2248-7026; 2248-7026
• DOI: 10.15446/rfnam.v77n3.109179

Forage soybean (Neonotonia wightii) is a legume frequently used as a cover crop in field crops. However, as a species of the Phaseoloideae subfamily, it is characterized by the physical latency of the seed, which makes it difficult to obtain a high, homogeneous, and rapid germination. The aim of the present study was to determine which method of scarification stimulates the germination process to a greater extent. The following immersion times were evaluated: 5 to 20 minutes in 98% sulfuric acid, 24 hours in 5.4% sodium hypochlorite, water, and gibberellic acid [100 ppm], 15 minutes of treatment with sandpaper and the combination of these last two. They were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design, where eight treatments and a control were evaluated, with three replicates each and 200 seeds as experimental units, subjected to controlled conditions (germination chambers at constant temperatures and a relative humidity of 27 °C and 70%, respectively) during the spring of 2022. The results were favorable, a high germination percentage was obtained from seeds subjected to a 20-minute immersion time in sulfuric acid (90% germination and an average of six germinated seeds per day) and this was significantly higher than the rest, making it an effective method to break the physical latency of the seeds, as it removes the impermeable cover allowing inhibition and consequently the activation of the seed’s metabolism. La soja forrajera (Neonotonia wightii) es una leguminosa frecuentemente utilizada como cubierta en cultivos de campo. Sin embargo, al ser una especie de la subfamilia Phaseoloideae, se caracteriza por la latencia física de la semilla, lo que dificulta obtener una germinación alta, homogénea y rápida. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar cuál método de escarificación estimula en mayor medida el proceso de germinación, se evaluaron tiempos de inmersión desde los 5 hasta los 20 minutos en ácido sulfúrico (98%), 24 horas en inmersión en hipoclorito de sodio (5,4%), agua y ácido giberélico [100 ppm], 15 minutos con lija y el combinado de estas dos últimas, las cuales fueron distribuidas en un diseño experimental completamente al azar, donde se evaluaron ocho tratamientos y un testigo, tres repeticiones cada uno y 200 semillas como unidades experimentales, sometidas en condiciones controladas (cámaras de germinación a temperaturas y humedad relativa constantes de 27 °C y 70%, respectivamente) durante la primavera del 2022. Los re