A process to enhance germination of a wild pennycress variety

Pennycress is an emerging oilseed crop, but some improved lines still exhibit seed dormancy that may impede germination and establishment. A laboratory study was conducted in 2021 to identify seed treatments to increase germination of a wild pennycress improved line (‘MN106NS’). A randomised complete block experimental design was used with two replications and 12 seed treatments: untreated control; fludioxonil (50 µg ai per g of seed); gibberellic acid (GA) soak at 0.05 or 0.01% w/w for 12 hours; pelleting with diatomaceous earth and a commercial binder ± each prior component and a carnauba wax coating. For all treatments, uniformity and stability of pelleted treatments were tested, and germination over time (3 to 14 days at 20°C in dark) was quantified. There were consistent increase, in weight and size (142% in weight and 29% in size on average) of seeds with pelleting, and pelleting combination treatments did not vary in stability. Total germination increased compared to the control with all seed treatments, except the addition of fludioxonil alone. While all pelleting treatments improved total germination, the use of GA as a soak treatment or as an addition during seed pelleting was most effective to increase germination in MN106NS.