EFFECTS OF VARIOUS TREATMENTS ON THE GERMINATION OF SAWGRASS, CLADIUMJAMAICENSE CRANTZ, SEEDS

The objective of this research was to test the effectiveness of severa l treatments at raising germination percentages of sawgrass (Cladium j amaicense) seeds. Sawgrass seed lots from two years (1991 and 1995) we re tested in two separate germination experiments that were run from 1 994 to 1995 and 1995 to 1996. Treatments aimed at breaking dormancy we re abrasion with sand paper, steeping in hot water, dry heating, soaki ng in nitric acid or sodium hypochlorite, cold, moist stratification ( for a duration of 3 days or 1 month), and supplements of exogenous che micals (gibberellic acid or potassium nitrate). A combination treatmen t of wet heat followed by soaking in gibberellic acid was tested. In t he 1994-1995 experiment, no treatment was effective at increasing germ ination over that of untreated seeds (P>0.05). Treatments with dry hea t, abrasion, the combination treatment, and the water control signific antly reduced germination. In contrast, in the 1995-1996 experiment, t reatment with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) significantly increased saw grass germination in comparison with untreated seeds. Cold, moist stra tification for one month significantly increased germination over that found in the water control. The highest germination of nearly 80% was achieved in seeds that were treated with bleach. The results of this experiment suggest that the disinfectant properties of bleach may be o ne mechanism through which sawgrass germination is enhanced.