SEED GERMINATION RATE IN LENTIL (LENS CULINARIS) WITH CHALKY SPOTTED

The chalky spot syndrome is a serious seed quality problem in red lentil in the southeast Anatolia of Turkey. This research was carried out to determine the chalky spot rate and its effect on the seed germination in twenty lentil genotypes. Germination tests as three groups performed; (i) seeds from damaged location were cleaned, and two groups were divided as damaged and non-damaged, (ii) all seeds from damaged location, and (iii) seeds from non damaged location. Chalky spot rate among genotypes ranged from 11.0 to 42.92%. Mean of germination speed in damaged seeds was 46.88%, and ranged from 20 to 66% in damaged seeds. Mean of germination speed in non-damaged seeds was 84.5%. Chalky spotted seed rate strongly reduced germination rate.