Hardening Treatment of Seeds as a means of increasing Yields under Conditions of Inadequate Moisture

Abstract

GENKEL et al., as well as a number of other investigators, have claimed that ‘hardening’ treatment of seeds increases the drought, heat and frost resistance of plants developing from the treated seeds^1,2. This ‘hardening’ treatment or ‘P. A. Grenkel's method’ is nothing else but the repeated soaking and drying of seeds before sowing, a method already reported by Will³ in 1883 as being effective in increasing drought and frost resistance. It is claimed that plants made drought resistant in this way yield higher yields under drought conditions. As an example, we cite Mart'yanova⁴, who reports for barley grown in 1957 a yield of 28 centner/hectare of treated and of 18 centner/hectare for untreated plants.