PEA SEED QUALITY AND SEEDLING EMERGENCE IN THE FIELD

Pea seed of various lots of different cultivars, age and seed categories was investigated. The standard germination test, tetrazolium test (0,2 and 1,0% solution) and electroconductivity were used.

Ascochyta sp. was detected. Dressed and not dressed seeds were sown in early and late spring.

All laboratory tests were shown to be inadequate as a good means of identifying seed lots that perform poorly under field conditions. Among these tetrazolium tests (0,2%) electroconductivity and standard germination were giving similar results and were better correlated with seedling emergence than 1,0% tetrazolium test. It is suggested to use 0,2% tetrazolium solution instead of 1,0% according to the ISTA rules. It was demonstrated that the seed- or soil-borne fungi were often the cause of lack of correlation between laboratory tests and seedling emergence in the field.