Perform Calculation
Methods of Germination of a seed
Parts of a seed
GERMINATION
• SUNLIGHT
• WATER
• OXYGEN
• WARM TEMPERATURE
METHOD OF TESTING GERMINATION
1. Petri Dish
2. Sand method
3. Paper method
4. Rolled towel method
5. Rag doll method
6. Germination test through germinator
Petri Dish Method
• Suitable for small seeds.
1. line the dish with moisture, tissue
paper and then place number of
seeds.
2. Cover with another moist tissue
paper.
3. Allow the seeds to germinate for
several days.
4. Count the number of seeds that
germinated.
Sand method
• Suitable for all crops
1.Pack sterile, moist sand into pots or deep-bottom plastic trays with drainage. A single sheet of paper can be
placed in the base of the tray to keep the sand from pouring out through the drainage holes.
2. Water the sand until it is moist. Do not use excess water.
3. Make holes in a regular equidistant pattern at about the same depth as the size of the seeds. Ideally, the
distance between holes should be at least three to five times the seed diameter.
4. Prepare a plastic or wooden label with the accession number, date of sowing and replicate number, and place it
in each tray.
5. Place one seed in each hole and cover the holes with sand.
6. Water the sand again by sprinkling to ensure that the sand layer is not displaced or the seeds are not disturbed
when watering. Bottom-watering is better than top watering—it is achieved by placing the test containers in
larger plastic trays with water for about one hour.
7. Place the trays in appropriate light and temperature for the species.
8. Keep the substrate moist during tests by adding water, but do not over-water. 9. Run the test for the period
recommended for the species and count the number of seeds that have sprouted.
Paper method
1. Tear a paper towel in half and moisten one of the halves.
2.Place four or five seeds on half of the paper and fold the other half over the seeds.
3.Blow open a clear, sandwich size zip-close bag.
4.Place the paper with seeds inside and reseal the bag.
5.Set the bag anywhere out of direct sunlight that stays at room temperature. The bag acts like a miniature
greenhouse that retains heat and moisture. You should observe seeds sprouting in about five to seven
days.
6.The biggest drawback to the paper towel method is that the delicate, sprouted seeds must be
transplanted manually to soil or another moisture-holding medium such as vermiculite. The main root is
very delicate and should not be touched. Use tweezers on the seed body or the cotyledons when moving
them to moist soil.
7.Do not push the seed into the soil. Instead, make a hole in the soil for the entire root, hold it in place and
push soil gently over it. If the seed is already showing true leaves, make sure those remain above the soil.
In a few weeks, the seedlings should be ready for outdoor planting if the weather has warmed up.
Rag doll method
STEP 1
• Use a firm towel. The soft, very absorbent towels make poor rag dolls because they allow roots and shoots to penetrate
into the fiber, making seedlings difficult to remove during counting. If no other type of towel is available, the soft
towels can be used, but it is best to use two layers. These towels often hold too much water which drowns the seeds.
STEP 2
Wet the towel and allow free water to drip off for a minute. Lay the wet towel flat and add seeds.
STEP 3
Count out 100 seeds (50 for larger seeds like corn, peanuts, and soybeans) and place them on one half of the towel. Fold
the towel in half and roll it into a moderately tight tube. Place the tube in a jar or salable plastic bag and place it in warm
dark place.The rag-doll should be kept in a warm place (between 75 and 85 F). A little water two times a day in the
bottom of the jar or plastic bag will insure adequate moisture.
STEP 4
Make the first germination count for most crops in about three days. Open the towel and count the seedlings as you
remove them. After another three to four days make another count. If you had 100 seeds, the number of seedlings
removed equals the percentage germination
• Calculating results To calculate germination percentage, divide the
number of healthy seedlings by the total number of seeds in the test
and multiply by 100. For example, if you started with 25 seeds and
had 20 healthy sprouts, your germination rate would be 80%. The
lower the germination rate, the sooner the seed should be grown.
