Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
The relationship between germination rate within a carrot seed lot and subsequent seedling performance was studied in four seed lots of different viability. Seedling performance was assessed using slope tests conducted under controlled conditions and in the field following fluid drilling under a range of environmental conditions. Germination rate within a seed lot was positively related to vigour measured by slope tests, percentage emergence and seedling weight, and was negatively related to the spread of emergence times (In variance days) and the coefficient of variation (c.v.) of seedling weights. Sowing seeds selected as fast germinating resulted in greater seedling emergence percentages over a range of environmental conditions than when sowing seeds selected as slowly germinating.