Effects of different seed sowing methods on output frequency and seedling growth rhododendron (Rhododendron ssp.) seeds

In this study, different seed sowing methods applied to the seeds of forest rose species (R. ponticum L., R. luteum Sweet, R. caucasicum Pallas, R. simirnowii Trautv and R. ungernii Trautv) seedling emergence rates, exit time, power and plant growth . The seeds were sown on November 3, 2016 in a 35x50 cm foam box placed in climatic chambers of the application laboratory belonging to the Ahi Evran University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture. As a method of planting, four different methods have been tried: manual seeding (control), mixing with plant agar, mixing with MS, and mixing with stream sand. As a result of our research, the highest seed excretion rates obtained were 76.00% for R. ponticum L., R. luteum Sweet. 66.60%, R. smirnovii Trautv 55.33%, R. ungernii Trautv 24.00% and R. caucasicum Pallas 15.33% by manual seeding (control) application. When the effects of the seeding method on the seedling density were examined, the values closest to the ideal seed distribution were obtained by manual seeding method. The best results in the seedlings were obtained from Ms medium in R. ponticum (2.11cm), R. luteum (3.08cm), R. smirnovii (4.07cm), R. ungernii (1.39cm) and agar medium with 1.69 in R. caucasicum. As a result, it has been determined that the seeding method is suitable by hand-controlled seeding method in order to distribute the seedling exit frequencies homogenously in the reproduction of the forest rose species by generative method, and when the seedling growth is considered.