Evaluation of cardinal temperature for germination of asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida. L) seeds

Asafoetida is one of important medicinal plant of the Apiaceae family that due to over harvesting from natural pastures has been endanger to elimination. Knowledge and studies of plant biology and germination behavior can lead to the development of its cultivation and protection in the natural pastures. This experiment was conducted to evaluate Asafoetida seeds germination on the response to temperature in Seed Technology and Agricultural Research Laboratories of Birjand University in 2011. For this experiment using a completely randomized design with 10 treatments consisting of 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 and 33 degree of Celsius in four replications. Traits measured were germination percentage, germination rate and mean germination time. Temperature was significantly effected on all measured traits (P<%1). Results of regression analysis of data with intersected-lines (ISL) model showed those minimum, optimum and maximum seed germination temperatures were 1.06, 13.46 and 31.04 degree of Celsius respectively.