Effectiveness of ultrafine bubbles and gamma irradiation treatments to improve seed viability and vigor of Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr

Ultrafine bubbles and low doses of gamma irradiation had a positive effect on seed germination. This research tested the effectiveness of ultrafine bubbles (UFB) water and gamma irradiation for improving the viability and vigor of Albizia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr. seeds that had been stored for four years. A completely randomized two-factor experiment, i.e., UFB water and gamma irradiation treatments, were used to determine the best seed treatment. The UFB water treatment had a significant effect on all seed germination parameters; the gamma irradiation treatment did not have a significant effect on improving the viability and vigor of the seeds, with a very low initial germination (11.7%). Soaking the seeds in UFB water for 30 min gave the best germination (51.3%). These improvements also occurred in other germination parameters such as germination rate, germination value, radicle length and vigor index. The UFB water treatment has the potential to improve the germination of seeds with low physiological qualities.