Annals of Applied Biology (1999) 134, 299-305

J. Prohens, S. Soler and F. Nuez (1999)
The effects of thermotherapy and sodium hypochlorite treatments on pepino seed germination, a crucial step in breeding programmes
Annals of Applied Biology 134 (3), 299-305
Abstract: We evaluated the effects of treatments with thermotherapy (80°C for 24 h) and dipping in sodium hypochlorite (NaOCI; 0.8% for 10 min) on the germination percentage, germination rate, vigour index and ToMV inactivation of seeds from three pepino (Solanum muricatum) accessions (96-5, B-2 and OV-8) and two wild relatives (S. tabanoense EC-26 and S. caripense EC-40). Thermotherapy decreased the germination percentage (especially in the wild species), germination rate in wild species but not in cultivated pepino, and vigour index in all cases. Sodium hypochlorite increased germination, except for non-thermotreated seeds of OV-8, improved the germination rate in wild species and the vigour index in all cases except for non thermotreated OV-8. Seed coats were altered by both treatments, especially by NaOCI. Thermotherapy was totally effective in the inactivation of seed-borne ToMV while NaOCI was not. Thermotherapy combined with NaOCI allows effective seed disinfection of S. muricatum seeds without negatively affecting seed germination. For the wild species, although thermotherapy reduces germination, the higher number of seeds per fruit in these species reduces the magnitude of the problem. Even when no disinfection is necessary, treatments with NaOCI are always advisable as they improve germination.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tomato mosaic virus	Solanum (crop)	Spain (continental)