The responses of soybean seeds were evaluated to accelerated aging and gamma irradiation with regard to germination, seed leakage, seed leachate component and dry weight of hypocotyl and primary root of the germinating seed. Accelerated aging significantly reduced the final germination rate while gamma irradiation increased the final germination rate. Furthermore, the interactive effects occurred that the final germination rate of 5-day aged seeds increased considerably in response to 4 Gy of gamma irradiation. The extent to which the electrolyte was leaked from the seeds (conductivity) was significantly affected by accelerated aging and showed a close negative correlation with the germination rate. Gamma irradiation, however, did not significantly affect the electrical conductivity of seed leachate. The accelerated aging significantly increased the concentrations of the particular electrolytes leaked from the seeds while the gamma irradiation did not affect those concentrations. Of the electrolytes leaked from the seeds, Ca and Mg showed relatively lower concentrations while K showed greater concentrations than others. Moreover, N and P showed similar responses to aging treatment. Aging treatment significantly affected dry weight (DW) of hypocotyls and primary root. Also, gamma irradiation decreased DW of hypocotyls and primary root, particularly for 8 Gy associated with 5 days aging treatment. The data were discussed in terms of the relationships of seed vigor with aging treatment and gamma irradiation.

The objective of this study was to demonstrate whether or not the deleterious effects of accelerated aging on seed vigour and viability are alleviated by interaction with gamma irradiation. Seeds of soybean (Glycine max L.) were artificially aged and subsequently irradiated with 4 and 8 Gy of gamma irradiation. Germination rate was negatively affected by accelerated aging and positively by gamma irradiation, with a positive interaction of a 3day-seed aging treatment occurring with 4 Gy, possibly suggesting that 4 Gy of gamma irradiation partially offset the adverse effects of seed aging on germination. However, 5-day aged seeds did not gain any benefits from the gamma irradiation. Electrolyte leakage from the seeds increased with the duration in days aged. Irradiation, however, did not impose any effects on the leakage. Respiration rate of the seed with hypocotyl and primary root was significantly low for the aged seeds, but not for the seeds with both irradiation and aging treatments. Accelerated aging decreased the dry weight of the hypocotyl and primary root of the seeds without any measurable effects of irradiation. α -Amylase activity decreased with seed aging and positively responded to gamma irradiation. The data is discussed with regard to the possible roles of gamma irradiation for improving the seed vigour and viability of aged seeds.

Seeds of burcucumber were treated with accelerated aging, cold-stratification, and light quality illuminated during desiccation to enhance their germination and seedling emergence. The germination was increased by aging and cold-stratification although the latter treatment showed greater effectiveness than the former one. In the combined treatment of aging 6 days at 45~circC and cold-stratification, the germination was promoted under longer period of cold-stratification to reach nearly 100% in 3 week cold-stratification on the ninth day from sowing. In the sequentially combined treatment of aging, cold-stratification, and light quality during 24 hour desiccation at 35~circC , no-stratified seeds showed the highest rate in red light treatment but the lowest in far-red light. This implies that the phytochrome action run during the desiccation of imbibed seeds. The red light exposure during drying for the cold-stratified seeds after aging accelerated the germination even more than the dark treatment and germinated 100% on the next day of sowing. It is concluded that the sequential treatment of aging, cold-stratification, and red light illumination during desiccation can highly promote percentage and speed of burcucumber seed germination.

Lipoxygenase가 결여된 진품콩(Lx1Lx1lx2lx2lx3lx3), 진품콩 2호(lx1lx1lx2lx2lx3lx3)와 L-1, L-2, L-3이 모두 존재하는 태광콩(Lx1Lx1Lx2Lx2Lx3Lx3)에 대한 종실특성과 인위노화 처리가 종실의 발아율에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 실시하였다. 1. 종피균열도는 3품종 모두 파종시기가 늦어짐에 따라 감소하였으며, 진품콩과 진품콩 2호가 태광콩보다 높았다. 2. 파쇄성과 경도는 진품콩과 진품콩 2호가 태광콩보다 낮아지는 경향을 나타내었다. 3. 발아율은 진품콩과 진품콩 2호가 태광콩보다 낮았고, 전기전도도는 인위노화 처리전보다 증가하였으며 태광콩, 진품콩, 진품콩 2호 순으로 높았다. 4. 발아율은 인위노화 처리기간이 길어짐에 따라 진품콩과 진품콩 2호가 태광콩보다 낮았으며, 전기전도도는 인위노화 처리기간이 길어짐에 따라 증가하였으며 진품콩과 진품콩 2호가 태광콩보다 높게 나타났다. 인위노화 처리 35일째는 태광콩과 진품콩이 비슷하게 나타났으며, 진품콩 2호는 태광콩과 진품콩보다 높게 나타났다. 5. 종피균열도는 발아율 및 인위노화 처리 후 발아율과는 유의적인 부의 상관을 나타내었다.