Changes in Germination Promotion and Inhibition in Seed Extracts of Subterranean Clover (Trifolium Subterraneum L.) Related to Dormancy and Germination

Seeds of two varieties of T. BUbterraneum were extracted after imbibing water for various periods. The extracts were partitioned into water and ethyl acetate, purified by paper chromatography, and germination.modifying activity measured by a subterranean clover seed bioassay. As imbibition proceeded, the balance of germination inhibitors and promo tors in the aqueous fraction remained fairly constant in the dormant variety, but changed "rapidly in the non-dormant variety. The activity in the ethyl acetate fractions of both varieties also changed rapidly, but for the dormant variety the final balance was inhibitory, and in the non-dormant variety promotory.