A comparison of seed germination calculation formulae and the associated interpretation of resulting data

Much experimentation concerns itself with the level and rapidity of germination, yet analyzing and interpreting results can be a difficult task due to the vague nature of some seed germination data. This paper examines a number of data analysis methods adopted in seed germination and emergence tests. What constitutes a good result in one experiment may not be the same in another and this depends, to a large extent, on the data analysis method used. A review of these methods reveals the different interpretations that can be drawn from applying different formulae. Not just the final germination percentage, its mean time or spread, but also the ‘high’ and ‘low’ germination events have an impact on the parameters calculated. This paper shows that the Germination Index (GI) is the analysis method that best describes the germination percentage/speed relationship. Germination percentage and mean time alone are not sufficient in representing a seed lot in terms of its germination activity in a given time frame.