Warm (Standard) Germination
Duration: Varies by species (seven days for corn to 28 days for Kentucky Bluegrass)
Warm germination tests are used for labeling purposes and give a reasonable idea of field emergence under favorable conditions. A minimum of 400 seeds is required for an AOSA or ISTA official test. Tests can be conducted in rolled brown paper towels, on blue blotter paper, on crepe cellulose paper, CCP covered with sand abd other substrates listed in the Rules
Warm (Standard) Germination
Test Details
Cereals are typically tested on rolled paper towels for seven days. Grasses on top of blotters at 15-25 or 20-30 C for up to 28 days. Contact the ISU Seed Lab for test lengths on the more than 300 species of seed we test. Some species can have a prechill period added at the start of the test at 5 or 10C to break dormancy. A test on any species can be ended if an analyst feels the maximum germination has been reached. A test on any species can be extended 2 days for slow-growing seedlings or individual dicot swollen seeds can be extended for up to five days.
Warm (Standard) Germination
Sample Requirements
A minimum of 400 seeds are required for an AOSA or ISTA official test.