Seed Treatment Effects on Emergence of Luffa aegyptiaca
Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa sponge gourd) is increasingly seen as both a source of vegetative nutrition and as a source of the “luffa” used as to exfoliate during bathing. As such, the commercial growing of Luffa aegyptiaca is increasingly being investigated using more intensive farming methods. Two factors traditionally used to promote / speed germination and emergence of vegetable seeds is investigated. It is concluded that temperature pre-treatment of the seeds (-12°C,24 hours) yields a p=0.004 significance in promoting emergence, whilst pre soaking (water, 18°C, 24hrs) yields p=0.821
Optimization of agrotechniques in the cultivation of Luffa acutangula
Germination requirements, flowering pattern, planting density and growing regimes were examined for Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. Maximum germination (50%) was obtained at 35°C, and at 8, 12, and 45°C germination was completely inhibited. Partial removal of the seed coat increased the percentage of germination while vernalization and exposure to salinity 5=50 mM NaCl reduced it. Planting season influenced flowering pattern, with significantly more female flowers being produced in spring-summer (long days and high temperatures) than in autumn-winter (short days and low temperatures). A high yield of 44.5-47.3 Mg ha 1 was obtained for plants trained on trellises at planting densities of 10,000 and 20,000 plants ha-1. Fruits kept at low temperatures showed the least deterioration during storage, a shelf life of about two weeks being demonstrated at 4°C.
Characterisation of the germination responses to temperature of vegetable seeds. I. Tomatoes
Abstract Tests in incubators and on thermo-gradient bars were done with 13 cultivars of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) to establish the main features of their germination responses to temperature. Differences found between cultivars including F1 hybrids, out-door strains, and plants with golden and red skinned fruits were small. Optimum temperatures occurred between 26 and 32°C; maxima for fifty percent rates of germination were between 35 and 38°C, and minima between 8 and 10°C. Seed of Lycopersicum pimpinellifolium and small fruited subspecies of L. esculentum germinated at lower temperatures, down to 6°C, and more rapidly at median temperatures. Results of experiments on thermo-gradient bars showed that statistically significant differences occurring between responses at particular temperatures in incubators may be of minor biological or economic significance when used to assess temperature tolerance of different cultivars, and demonstrated that tests over a range of temperatures are essential for such determinations. A method is proposed for using results obtained in the early part of an experiment to provide regressions which can be projected to indicate the course of germination over a long period.