Editorial: Seed Science and Technology. Volume 50 Issue 1 (2022)

Abstract

This issue of Seed Science and Technology includes several papers in which the authors have conducted seed vigour research on species where little to no previous research has been reported. Seed vigour is an important attribute of seed quality and the ISTA Vigour Committee encourages research in seed vigour on a wide range of species. It is important within seed laboratories and the seed industry to have validated vigour tests that are simple, easy and practical, and are correlated to field performance or seed longevity. A range of seed vigour tests were explored in the papers of this issue of SST with a focus on the single count radicle emergence (RE) test and / or mean germination time (MGT) for Chinese milk vetch, Festuca sinensis, cucurbit rootstocks and dill, with practical application for each specific crop. A paper using MGT and RE to evaluate emerging technologies using plasma seed priming treatments for maize is also discussed.