Foxtail (Setaria spp.) Seed Germination "Window": Thermogradient Plate Assays

A thermogradient table was constructed to determine the diversity of germination phenotypes in the seed shed by a foxtail plant or population.  By determining the germination of a group of similar seed at several temperatures between about 8-40° C we can evaluate the response "window" of that seed to a wide range of temperatures at one time.  It has proved to be a very valuable and powerful tool in our studies.   The top view of the table:

The gradient across the table is created by a hot water (55° C) circulating pump (left) at one end, and a refrigerated water (-3° C) pump at the other end (right):

Individual thermocouples (left) record the temperature along the width (middle) of the aluminum plate, and are routed out of the box (right):

The thermocouple wires are fed into a data acquisition system (left), and then on to a computer (right) for analysis and reporting:

Germ tests are underway:

©jdekker-2003