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Ruth_10 · April 9, 2007

Loss of germination with age must be a somewhat complex process. That rehydration with water containing salts such as nitrate ion sometimes works when plain water (tap water or de-ionized?) doesn't implies (to me, anyway

an enzyme getting turned on or off rather than simple dehydration.

I store my seeds very dry (with Drierite, which gets them much drier than you can get with activated silica gel). They don't require a pre-soak for germination, so dehydration in and of itself doesn't preclude rapid germination. Certainly a lot of protein denaturation is going on as seeds age.

An interesting subject!

April 9, 2007	#9
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	Loss of germination with age must be a somewhat complex process. That rehydration with water containing salts such as nitrate ion sometimes works when plain water (tap water or de-ionized?) doesn't implies (to me, anyway an enzyme getting turned on or off rather than simple dehydration. I store my seeds very dry (with Drierite, which gets them much drier than you can get with activated silica gel). They don't require a pre-soak for germination, so dehydration in and of itself doesn't preclude rapid germination. Certainly a lot of protein denaturation is going on as seeds age. An interesting subject! __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.