Fumarase activity as a quick vigour test for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seeds

Three seed lots and three sub-lots of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seed s were used to evaluate seed testing methods as they were or after priming or artificial ageing. When germination capacity was higher than 40%, the co rrelation between germination capacity and mean germination time was poor ( r(2) = 0.330). For these seeds, neither leachate conductivity nor fumarase activity was significantly correlated with germination capacity. Leachate c onductivity and fumarase activity were both significantly correlated with m ean germination time and the correlation between mean germination time and fumarase activity was greater (r(2) = 0.683) than the correlation between m ean germination time and leachate conductivity (r(2) = 0.319). In seeds tha t did not germinate, leachate conductivity was significantly (ca. 10 times) higher than in seeds with . 40% germination capacity and fumarase activity was significantly (ca. 2 times) lower than in seeds with > 70% germination capacity. The correlation between mean germination time and fumarase activ ity was tested using independent seed samples. The results showed that mean germination time was linearly correlated with the predicted mean germinati on time (r(2) = 0.734). This method may be particularly suitable for identi fying changes in seed vigour during storage and maybe also for predicting f uture field emergence.