On the Nature of the Soaking Injury of Phaseolus vulgaris Seeds

Phaseolus vulgaris L. seeds are often killed or show signs ofsevere injury after they have been soaked in water for periodsexceeding a very few hours. But all ill effects can be largelyor completely prevented by any one of the following: (a) removingthe testa before or after soaking; (b) thorough or even partialdrying of the soaked seed; (c) draining the seed after cuttingoff its end portion; (d) treatment of the seed with hydrogenperoxide before, during, or after soaking. Air bubbled throughthe soaking water can aggravate the injury. By contrast, injuryfrom soaking can be prevented if oxygen has free access to theinterior of the seeds until they have imbibed about one-thirdof the water required for germination.It is suggested that,despite microbial complications at a later stage, the soakinginjury is caused at a critical early stage of germination bya deficient oxygen supply to the interior of the soaked seed,because during soaking the cavity between the cotyledons isflooded with an excess of water which remains trapped unlessforcibly removed.