“Cup of tea” method of seed raising

[Nick]

On the SRGC forum i saw references to this method as a means of encouraging good germination from Iris and other seeds, particularly those dispersed by wind. Both time to germination, and germination rate were enhanced versus controls. Basically the method involves steeping the seeds in a cup of well brewed tea for 24 hrs, draining and repeating x 4, followed by planting the seeds as normal. The steeping process presumably leaches out germination inhibitors and may expose the seeds to gibberellins or other promoters in the tea.
Has anyone tried this for C&S, and if so, what did you find?

[kohinoor]

I did some research it seems like some Mammillaria react good to wet-dry-cycle.
the original study use petri dish. but i use tea bag. Looks like i am not the only one think of it.

so i try this on M. perezdelarosae andersoniana and collect data. dip in tap water for 12 hr and dry for 12 hr
(i chose 12 hr for easy time tracking)
of 400 seeds with 0 2 3 4cycle. the result are all the same.

My conclusion is :
tea bag are handy.
wet-dry-cycle did not boost nor inhibit M. perezdelarosae andersoniana germination.


my detail experiment note are written in chinese (my first language)
here:
http://kohinoorsarchive.blogspot.com/20 ... niana.html


reference:
Efecto de la hidratacion-deshidratacion en la germinacion de semillas [de] cinco especies de cactaceas del Valle de Tehuacan-Cuicatlan, Puebla

The adaptive value of cued seed dispersal in desert plants: Seed retention and release in Mammillaria pectinifera (Cactaceae), a small globose cactus

[AnTTun]

@kohinoor: did you have so called 'control group' (seed not treated with tea) for comparison?

[Nick]

@kohinoor: did you have so called 'control group' (seed not treated with tea) for comparison?

Hi AntTun, There was a no-soak control group. The soaking was done with water in empty tea bags ie no tea. I’ll try and dig out the SRGC data, but they certainly used tea.

I once tried commercially available sea-weed extract as a seed treatment, but as a one-off soil drench rather than multiple applications - result - no statistically significant improvement in the germination rates of Lithops, Aloe, Trichocereus. However, that is not to say that a different regime might not have benefit.

I feel an experiment coming on......

[kohinoor]

@kohinoor: did you have so called 'control group' (seed not treated with tea) for comparison?

yes my control is 0 wet-dry-cycle
i put them in tea bag and put aside.

i need to point out that although i use tea bag, i did not use tea to soke seed.
i only use tap water, tea bag is for easier handling.

[esp]

I feel an experiment coming on......

Are you going to add presence/absence of milk and sugar as further variables?

What sort of species do you have this in mind for? I can see it may be relevant for woodland / grassland or marshland species, less so many C&S.

[ralphrmartin]

I suspect tea is somewhat acid (hence the advice to water various plants with cold tea). The acid may also be beneficial in getting seeds to germinate. (Simulates passage through some animals gut).

[Nick]

This relates to germination of wheat seeds, but provides evidence that tea may have a beneficial effect, if you believe what is written in patents...
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2014/0113814.html