The use of hydrochloric acid to improve the germination of sugar-beet seed

✍ Scribed by M. J. Durrant; S. J. Mash; P A. Payne

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 371 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-6903
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00130643

✦ Synopsis

This study confirmed that steeping sugar-beet seed in 0 .3 M hydrochloric acid for 2 h as the first part of a 12 h treatment, substantially improved performance under cold, wet conditions . Smaller benefits were also found in warmer, drier tests ; no detrimental effects were found . Adding excess sodium hydroxide at the end of the acid steep further improved the growth of the inherently slower part of the population under cold, wet conditions . Steeping seed in acid or acid followed by alkali also controlled Phoma betae as effectively as the current commercial thiram steep treatment .