3.3 Sowing M. zehntneri seeds in vitro under different
concentrations of plant growth regulators
The germination percentage of M. zehntneri seeds using in
vitro conditions in a culture medium was 74% (Fig. 4), higher than
observed using the same light conditions in the previous experiment with
Petri dishes and filter paper (61.3%).
Seed imbibition in Ethephon solution as a pre-treatment resulted in a
significant and striking increase in the percentage of in vitrogerminated seeds of M. zehntneri . The best treatment and response
of seeds to Ethephon was reported in the culture medium without
phytoregulators, which resulted in 98% seeds germinated (Fig. 4). In
the control culture medium without the pre-treatment with Ethephon, the
germination rate was only 76% (Fig. 4). The pre-treatment of seeds with
Ethephon also promoted faster seed germination, with the greater number
of seeds germinated within 11-14 days, compared to the control (18 days)
(Fig. 5) and the highest GSI (2.93) compared to untreated (2.14) and the
other plant growth regulators (BAP, GA3 or
BAP+GA3) added to the culture media (Fig. 6).
Discussion