RESPONSES OF BUR PARSLEY [TURGENIA LATIFOLIA (L.) HOFFM.] SEED GERMINATION TO TEMPERATURE

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of eight constant temperatures on germination of bur parsley hulled and dehulled seeds under dark conditions. A completely randomized design with four replications was used. Germination counts were made at seven-day intervals for four weeks. For both hulled and dehulled seeds, after one, two, three and four weeks, no significant difference was observed between 15 and 20°C, and the highest germination percentage belonged to the seeds allowed to germinate at these temperature regimes. Temperatures below 15 and above 20°C significantly reduced germination percentages of hulled and dehulled seeds. In general, after 28 days, accumulated germination percentage of dehulled seeds was higher than hulled seeds at all temperature regimes. Results indicated that seeds of bur parsley germinated at temperatures between 5 and 35°C, with optimal germination occurring between 15 and 20°C.