Comparison of Sodium Hypochiorite and Potassium Hydroxide as Seed Treatment for Stimulating Germination of Korean Lawngrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) Seed

한국잔디종자의 발아촉진을 위한 Sodium Hypochlorite와 Potassium Hydroxide 처리효과의 비교

Research was conducted to obtain easy and secure methods for promoting germination of Korean lawngrass (Zoysia japonic a Steud.) seed. The effect of sodium hypochiorite (NaOCl) treatment on germination of seeds was compared with that of potassium hydroxide (KOH) treatment under conditions of duration of seed storage after harvest and temperature of treatment. Emergence of seedlings from soil and micro-flora infection rate among seed treatments were investigated. 1. The promotion of germination was much more evident in seeds treated with 4% NaOCl for 8 and 10 hours than in seeds treated with 25% or 30% KOH for 30 and 40 minutes. Longer durations of storage before seed treatment in KOH than in NaOCl were required to initiate enough germination. 2. Differences in temperature of treatment with NaOCT did not have much influence on germination of seeds and treatment temperature of 15˚C was better than that of 200˚C and 300˚C for promoting germination. But seed treatment with KOH significantly promoted germination with increasing temperature of treatment from I 5˚C to 20˚C and 30˚C. 3. GA$_3$ treatment enhanced germination in NaOCl-pretreated seeds at early stage of imbibition and in-creased about 10% germination after 10 days of imbibition in KOH-pretreated seeds. 4. NaOC1 treatments significantly decreased the rate of the infection of microflora in seed samples and enhaced emergence of seedlings from soil compared with KOH treatment. 5. NaOC1 treatment had advantage over KOH treatment with respect to ease of preparing, securing and handling in stimulating germinating of Korean lawngrass seeds.