Emergence at High Temperature and Seedling Growth Following Pretreatment of Lettuce Seeds with Fusicoccin and Other Growth Regulators

Abstract

The rate and total emergence of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. ‘Empire’) seedlings incubated at 33°C for 10 hr, alternating with 23° for 14 hr, was markedly increased by seed treatment with 0.5 mM fusicoccin (FC). Neither gibberellic acid (GA) nor kinetin (K) were effective in improving emergence when used alone. The combination of FC with GA or K appeared to give a synergistic enhancement of emergence rate. The radicle elongation of seedlings was reduced by seed treatment with FC, K, or combinations of FC, GA, and K in tests at 20°. The greatest reductions were caused by combinations that included FC. The inhibiting effect of FC on radicle growth was reduced by using a concentration of 0.05 mm. Treatment with 0.05 mm FC resulted in slower emergence but gave the same total emergence as 0.5 mm FC at high temperature. Both FC and GA stimulated hypocotyl elongation.