Effects of prolonged light on germination of six lines of wild oat (Avena fatua)

Effects of prolonged light irradiation on seed germination of wild oat (Avena fatua L.) were studied in three nondormant and three dormant genetic lines. Light responses were observed in each of the lines tested. The expression of the light reaction is related to the genetic variability and dormancy states of the seeds. The light reaction can be observed in the dormant lines by removing the dormancy blocks in the seeds either through afterripening or by treatment with gibberellic acid or azide. Prolonged far-red, blue, and white light are inhibitory to germination. Prolonged red light had neutral, or inhibitory, effects compared with the corresponding dark germination. Germination responses to light depend on both the condition of phyto-chrome established by the light environment and the state of dormancy in wild oat seeds. Key words: phytochrome, dormancy, afterripening, genotype, gibberellin, azide.