simple index for describing the efficacy of chemicals in breaking seed dormancy

• Published in: Seed technology Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 76 - 81
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Dimas Mendes, Pinheiro, Frank James Araujo, Pelacani, Claudineia Regina, Souza, Braulio Maia de Lana, Mapeli, Ana Maria, Muller, Caroline, Cabrini, Elaine Cristina, Coelho, Tales Graciano, Rocha, Glayton Botelho, Barros, Raimundo Santos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Commercial Seed Technologists 2008; The Association of Official Seed Analysts
• Subjects: chemical concentration; Chemicals; Dormancy; Dormancy breaking; efficiency index; forage legumes; Germination; Plants; Production efficiency; Seed dormancy; seed germination; Seed Tech Notes; seeds; Selenium; Sodium; Stylosanthes humilis; Zero
• ISSN: 1096-0724

When comparing the efficacy of different chemicals on seed dormancy breakage, germination percentage alone is not a good descriptor of the phenomenon because the process can be triggered by high concentrations of a compound while other compound can be highly effective under very low concentrations. Because of that an Efficiency Index (Ief) relating the response (i.e. dormancy breakage) of dormant seeds of Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis HBK) to several selenium (Se) compounds at their optimal concentrations was employed by Pinheiro et al. (2008 b). In this paper, the index is revised to a more coherent one (Efi), that relates the effect of the chemicals on germination in a more straight-forward way. The innate dimension displayed by the new index (amount of the chemical per unit germination percentage) is an expression of the tissue sensitivity to the chemicals.