Stimulating Action of Micro- and Nanodimensional Cavitation Bubbles on Germination of Seeds

Abstract

In this communication the influence of ultrasonic cavitation treatment on the germination of seeds and early stages of growth of triticale (rye and wheat hybride) seedlings is studied. The samples of 50 seeds were treated by ultrasonic cavitation in water in the following regimes: the amplitude 20 μm, frequency 17.6 kHz, temperature 25 0С, duration of treatment within 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 min. Then the seeds were placed for germination and sprouting in Petri dishes on a wet filter paper at room temperature. It is shown that cavitation treatment at optimal regimes exerts a stimulating action on the germination of seeds and development of seedlings when the appropriate treatment regimes are chosen. The length of seedlings of the seeds treated by ultrasonic cavitation during 4 min is approximately by a factor of 1.5 greater than that of the untreated seeds. However, when the duration of cavitation treatment increases up to 6-8 min a considerable share of seedlings possess much lesser length; that is, a longer ultrasonic cavitation treatment inhibits the growth of seedlings.