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Influence of Seed Weight on Germination, Growth, and Development of Tobacco¹

Seed size may influence germination rate and seedling vigor, which are important factors in innovative tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) starting procedures such as seeding directly in the field or in transplantable containers. A study was conducted to determine relationships among tobacco seed weight, rate of germination, and seedling growth and development, including yield of cured leaf.

Tobacco seeds were separated into three weight groups of 76, 65, and 50 mg/1,000 seeds. Germination was tested at 20 C in light and in uninterrupted darkness. The heavy seeds germinated earlier, in higher percentages, and over a shorter period of time than did the light weight seeds. The medium seeds were intermediate in these responses.

Seeds from the three weight groups that germinated on the same date produced seedlings that did not differ significantly in size of transplants or in subsequent field growth and development, including leaf yield. However, seedlings from early and late germinating seeds within the same weight group differed significantly in size of transplants and in field performance. Even though the late seeds germinated only a few days after the early ones under optimal conditions, they produced seedlings that continued to lag in growth and development in the field and had a lower yield of cured leaf. Hence, heavy seeds that are light indifferent for germination should be used in tobacco starting procedures that require high germination percentages over a short period of time.

Key Words: Nicotina tabacum L. • Seed size • Seedling vigor

² Plant physiologist (also professor) and agronomist, Tobacco Physiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA and Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506.

Received for publication March 11, 1977.