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Induction of Germination of Impermeable Cottonseed by Electrical Treatment

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R. B. Stone, M. N. Christiansen, S. O. Nelson, J. C. Webb, J. L. Goodenough, L. E. Stetson · 1973

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Glow-discharge treatment raised germination of impermeable cottonseed from less than 10% to 60-90%, while 40-MHz radiofrequency fields also increased germination but generally by less.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed impermeable cottonseed to electric glow discharge and to radiofrequency (RF) electric fields. Glow-discharge treatment increased germination from less than 10% to levels in the 60 to 90% range. Exposure to 40-MHz electric fields of 1.3 to 3.1 kilovolts/cm also produced significant increases, but germination was not generally increased as much as by glow discharge.

Why This Matters

This 1973 study tested two kinds of electrical treatment on cottonseed that normally has an impermeable seed coat. Glow discharge, applied for 3 min in an evacuated glass tube with 60-Hz and 15- and 17.5-kHz voltages, was generally very effective. RF treatment at 40 MHz produced significant but smaller increases in the laboratory tests, and it did not give significant increases for one seed lot stored with desiccant. RF did raise field emergence of a saw-ginned seed lot from 50 to 76%, while glow discharge gave no significant increase for that lot. The authors note that variation in cultivar response and seed storage conditions needs further evaluation.

Cite This Study
R. B. Stone, M. N. Christiansen, S. O. Nelson, J. C. Webb, J. L. Goodenough, L. E. Stetson (1973). Induction of Germination of Impermeable Cottonseed by Electrical Treatment.
Show BibTeX
@article{induction_of_germination_of_impermeable_cottonseed_by_electrical_treatment_g6924,
  author = {R. B. Stone and M. N. Christiansen and S. O. Nelson and J. C. Webb and J. L. Goodenough and L. E. Stetson},
  title = {Induction of Germination of Impermeable Cottonseed by Electrical Treatment},
  year = {1973},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, the study showed that 40-MHz RF electric fields of 1.3 to 3.1 kV/cm produced significant increases in germination of impermeable cottonseed, though generally smaller than the increases from glow-discharge treatment, which raised germination from under 10% to 60-90%.
Glow-discharge exposure lasted 3 min in an evacuated glass tube and raised germination from under 10% to 60-90%. RF exposures were much shorter, measured in seconds, with the seeds placed in polystyrene boxes between parallel-plate electrodes.
Glow discharge treatments using 60 Hz and 15-17.5 kHz voltages generally produced higher germination rates than radiofrequency treatments, though both methods significantly increased germination compared to untreated seeds.
RF treatments increased field emergence of cotton from 50% to 76%, but glow discharge treatments showed no significant field emergence improvement for the same seed lot tested.
Glow-discharge treatments used 60-Hz and 15- and 17.5-kHz voltages applied to electrodes in the tube. RF treatments used 40-MHz electric fields of intensities ranging from 1.3 to 3.1 kilovolts/cm.