Comparison of methods for germination testing of Cannabis sativa seed

Abstract

The most critical aspect of plant survival and reproduction is seed germination. Considering the specificity of the Cannabis sativa production, obtaining high-quality hemp seed is not an easy task. Germination testing is often the most reliable way of assessing viability, but the selection of appropriate methods is complex. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different conditions (i.e. various methods of germination testing) on the successful process of hemp seed germination, achieving maximum germination potential. Our results showed that C. sativa seeds germinated well in different methods, such as between filter papers, top of filter papers and sand, but there were significant differences between the applied methods. This means that the hemp seeds may have different requirements for germination than conditions covered by the Rules recommended methods. Further, the results show that hemp seed may have certain residual dormancy that needs to be investigated in detail.