Effects of Scarification with Sulfuric Acid and Matric Priming on Seed Germination of Seed Propagation Type of F1 Hybrid Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

For practical use of the seed propagation type of F1 hybrid strawberry, high germination percentage and germination uniformity are necessary. The effects of scarification with concentrated sulfuric acid and matric priming on seed germination of this strawberry were investigated in order to improve the germination performance. Open-pollinated seeds of ‘Tochiotome’ and seeds from the seed propagation type of the F1 hybrid strawberry cultivar ‘Chiba F-1 go’, bred by ourselves, were used. Germination tests were carried out on a temperature-gradient plate to investigate the response to temperature. The number of germinated seeds was counted for 7 days after sowing. The final germination percentage (FGP) of seeds scarified with 36 N sulfuric acid for 10 min exceeded 83% in the optimal temperature range of around 24–27°C, whereas untreated seeds did not germinate. FGP increased to more than 82% in the wide temperature range of 18–32°C with matric priming in vermiculite (−1.5 MPa) for 12 days after scarification. The effect of scarification time on germination was investigated for the seeds of ‘Chiba F-1 go’. The highest percentage (84%) was obtained in the seeds scarified for 35 min. Furthermore, the germination speed and uniformity increased with extension of the duration of matric priming from 0 to 14 days. Germination performance of the seeds of ‘Chiba F-1 go’ was improved for practical use by scarification with concentrated sulfuric acid and scarification plus matric priming.