This tutorial is on how to do a germination test using a germination test or a paper towel.
1. Sanitize your hands and the workplace before starting to avoid any contamination.
2. Count the number of papers you will use for four replications. Depending on the paper thickness, it is recommended to use three paper sheets, two on the bottom and one on the top, to cover the seeds. First, make sure the number of seeds your paper holds per replication. As an example, a paper with 28x38 cm can hold 50 seeds and paper with 28x76 cm holds 100 seeds. If your paper can hold only 50 seeds and you need to test 400 seeds, the ideal is to use 8 replications to avoid crowding.
Example: To test 1 sample of 200 seeds, using a paper with 28mx38cm which holds 50 seeds, we will need four replications of 50 seeds. Using three paper sheets per replication, 12 paper sheets will be needed.
3. Organize all the germination paper you will use in a tray and wet them by adding water carefully. Make sure the paper is completely moist but not dipping water when you hold it.
For the paper towel, start by counting three layers of paper that can hold 50 seeds. Place aside one paper sheet and moisture the other two sheets by spraying water. Use the third layer of paper to cover the seeds after sowing, and then spray water until it is completely moist. Follow the steps in the sequence.
4. Once the paper is wet, open the first sheet as a book page, leaving a space of ~3-4 cm on the side and at the bottom. Place the seed manually or using a planting tray. Arrange the seeds in rows at regular intervals. Ideally, the distance between seeds should be at least 3-5 times the seed diameter.
5. Cover the seeds with the paper sheet placed to the side as if closing a book.
6. Fold the ~3-4 cm on the left and the bottom and roll it firmly from the bottom to the top.
7. Label the roll. Repeat steps 4-7 for each replicate.
8. Once all replications are done, gather them and attach a rubber band to hold the rolled paper and prevent them from falling apart.
9. Keep the rolls upright in a clear plastic bag or a clear plastic container.
10. Place the plastic bags or plastic containers in a bright room with a temperature between 20-30°C (25°C is ideal).
Note: keep the folded side of the rolls at the bottom and the unfolded side at the top.
11. Moist the paper by spraying water if needed, especially when temperatures are high (25-30°C).
12. On day 5, gently unroll the paper, carefully to avoid tearing it or damaging the roots of young seedlings. Write down and remove the number of seeds that have sprouted per replicate (normal seedlings). Leave the seeds that are not germinated and seedlings that are not well-developed. Spray water and reroll the paper following steps 5-10. The first count can be used as an index of vigor: the higher the percentage of seedlings that emerged in this first count, the greater the vigor of the seed lot.
13. On day 8 count the germinated normal seedlings and document the seeds that failed to germinate (considered dead) and abnormal seedlings (see normal and abnormal seedlings). The germination percentage is calculated based on the number of normal seedlings (see calculating the results).
