Black seeds, revisited

[TheDens]

I have a packet of Red Robin seed from TGS, stamped "below standard germination, seed count doubled." Recalling the debate here over whether dark seeds are less likely to sprout, I remember wondering when I got the packet whether an unusual percentage of the seeds would be dark, but didn't open the packet until just now.
Yep, every one of those puppies is dark. It's kind of a shame they were -all- that way, because I would've liked to have marked the light and dark seeds and seen which were more likely to sprout.
None of the other packets I recieved from TGS contained any more than a couple of dark seeds.

[Fusion_power]

Dark seed is also a genetic trait. I have a few varieties with pale straw colored seed, others with dark green seed, some with gray seed, and a few that are dark gray. Seed color can be affected by over fermenting seed. This leaves the seed smelling rotten and with the seedcoat darkened significantly. It does not necessarily affect germination but it can if the seed are left to ferment too long. All this to say that I don't associate seed color directly to viability but dark seed may have been mishandled and are therefore less likely to germinate.

Fusion

[carolyn137]

I've been packing seeds for my seed offer and there's one variety, I can't remember which one right now, that does have dark seeds and no doubt was due to my letting the fermentation go a bit too long. I say that so quickly b'c there are others that were fermented at the same time that aren't dark so maybe, as Fusion says, it might be a genetic related trait. Except I seldom see it.

But that isn't the first time it's happened and so far I haven't found any difference in seed germination.

Maybe I will some day, but so far no.

[TheDens]

For the record, 4 out of the 6 Red Robin seeds I used have germinated, which is a perfectly reasonable germination rate in my book.