JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 1979, Vol. 3 ›› Issue (07): 53-60.doi: 10.3969/j.jssn.1000-2006.1979.07.006

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Preliminary study on determining seed quality of forest trees by soft X-ray radiography

Chen Yousheng Wu Qiongmei   

  • Online:1979-12-20 Published:1979-12-20

Abstract: Some factors effecting soft X-ray radiograph are here described. Figures showing the fully-developed, incompletely-developed, empty, tannin-like, mechanically-damaged, insect-damaged and polyembryonic seeds detected radiographically and nondestructively by the native-produced DGX-4 soft X-ray machine are presented in positive form. Working with the six submitted samples drawn from five seed lots of Pinus elliottii, it was found that there was no significant difference between the quick estimates of the germinability forecasted on the soft X-ray images and the actual germination percentage resulted from a testing period of 30-35 days. It is hoped that the improvements in the radiographic apparatus and an increasing understanding of the potentialities of this technique will widen its use in forest tree seed tesitng.