Effects of storage temperature and some pretreatments on germination of eastern black sea hawthorn (Crataegus pontica C. Koch) seeds

Crataegus pontica is one of the species of hawthorn, which spreads naturally in Artvin. Since it is used as a food source in the area, the determination of C. pontica production possibilities is very important. Pretreatments need to be applied in C. pontica production because of the germination inhibitors existing as a result of immature seed coat and embryo. In this study, it is aimed to determine the effect of storage temperature on later maturation of C. pontica Seeds. The seeds have been stored in four different temperature degrees ( -3, 0-5, 10-15 and 20-25) for 10 months. Then they have been soaked in water (for 2,4 and 6 days), in ash water ( for 2, 4 and 6 days), in sulfuric acid (1, 3 and 6 hours) in hydrogen peroxide (1, 3 and 6 hours) and in ethyl alcohol (2, 4 and 6 days ). With these preprocesses, soaking in ash water + soaking in sulfuric acid pretreatment combinations have been applied. The plantation has been done in polyethylene tubes according to the trial design of the three replicate random blocks in Ardanuç forest nursery. In the result of the study, germination did not come mostly to the control seeds during the pretreatment of soaking in water, soaking in ash water and soaking in ethyl alcohol. While the highest germination rates have been obtained from soaking in sulfuric acid + soaking in ash water, higher germination in seeds has been observed in warm storage environments rather than other storage temperatures.