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Research
5. Effect of
estrogen and progeterone on seed germination -
G. C. Nirmala, T Veena, M. S. Jyothi, and B. R. Suchitra
Vet World. 2008; 1(8): 241-242
Abstract
Early pregnancy detection in dairy cattle is an integral part of a
successful animal husbandry practice. A simple seed germination
technique (Punyakoti test) comprises observation of differential
seed germination response of wheat seeds to diluted fresh urine
samples as reflected by significant inhibition of germination
percentage in pregnant cow urine when compared to non pregnant cow
urine. Hormone metabolites excreted through urine might affect the
seed germination in pregnant cow urine. In the present study an
attempt was made to test the effect of hormones (in their natural
forms) at different concentrations of estrogen (17-ß estradiol)
and progesterone on wheat and green gram germination. Stock
solutions of estrogen and progesterone were prepared in alcohol
(1mg/ml) and serial dilutions made using distilled water to get
the concentrations of T1=10, T2=1, T3=0.1 and T4=0.01 µg/ml
respectively in treatment groups. About 15 seeds each of wheat and
green gram were taken in sterile Petri dishes into which 15ml of
each test preparation was poured. The treatments were compared
with distilled water and alcohol controls. The study was conducted
for a period of five days during which seed germination was
observed after 48 hrs and shoot lengths were also measured by the
end of study. The average seed germination and shoot length in
treatment groups did not vary significantly (P>0.05) when compared
with that of control groups. Thus from the present study, it can
be concluded that estrogen and progesterone in their natural form
will not affect seed germination and shoot length.
Keywords: Estrogen,
Progesterone, Seed Germination, Pregnancy, Dairy Cattle.
