Abnormalities of Stored Seed

Abstract

SEEDS of a variety of plants have been stored in unsealed air, sealed air, and carbon dioxide. All have been kept at laboratory temperature for five years. In all cases unsealed seed has deteriorated more rapidly than sealed seed. Furthermore, CO₂-sealed seed has generally given better germination than seeds stored in sealed air. In two varieties of lettuce the original yield of mature plants from sealed seed has been maintained while the plants grown from unsealed seed have a diminished yield (Table 1). Lettuce and onion seeds have been selected for a cytological study because these showed marked differences in deterioration and were suitable material technically.