Relationship between Ethyl Methanesulphonate Concentration and Immersion Interval, and Germination and Seedling Vigor in Oats

Abstract

Seed of Clintland 60 variety of oats were immersed for 2- and 24-hour intervals in water and in EMS solutions of 0.04-, 0.08-, and 0.12-mol strength, and for 2- and 4-hour intervals in 0.04- and 0.12-mol solutions. None of the EMS concentrations reduced germination percentages or seedling heights markedly when the immersion interval was 2 hours. However, the 24-hour immersion was lethal, with the 0.08- and 0.12-mol solutions, and reduced germination percentage to 33 with the 0.04-mol solution. Reduction in germination percentage and seedling height after treatment with 0.12-mol EMS solution for 4 hours closely approximated the M₁ damage for treating oat seed with 1.4-2.0 X 10¹³ neutrons per square centimeter.