Germination, respiration, and adenylate energy charge of seeds at various oxygen partial pressures.

The effect of O(2) partial pressure on the germination and the respiration of 12 cultivated species was studied. The reciprocal of the time necessary to observe rootlet emergence in 50% of the seeds was used to approach the germination rate. The maximum germination and respiration rates were reached in most seeds at O(2) pressures close to that of air.