Effect of planting bed depth, soil texture and seed source on hardness breaking of alfalfa seed (Medicago scutellata cv Robinson)

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of planting bed depth, soil texture and source of seed on hardness breaking of alfalfa seed (Medicago scutellata cv Robinson). This experiment was carried out in split-factorial based on Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications at the agricultural collage of Lorestan University in 2005. In first experiment, different planting bed depth (podded seed) as the first factor (zero, 4, 8, 12 centimeter) and soil texture as the second factor (sandy and clay silt) and source of seed as the third factor (Khoramabad and Karaj) were applied. In second experiment, different planting bed depth (without pod seed) as the first factor (zero, 2, 4, 6 centimeter) and soil texture as the second factor (sandy and clay silt) and source of seed as the third factor (Khoramabad and Karaj). The highest and the least germination percentage in podded seed were obtained from 4 and 12 centimeter soil depth, respectively. Also, the highest and the least germination percentage in without pod seed were obtained from 2 and 6 centimeter soil depth, respectively. Hardness of alfalfa seed was affected by the source of seed, so that the highest germination percentage to be gotten by Khoramabad seed source. Hardness of alfalfa seed was affected by soil texture, so that the highest germination percentage was obtained from sandy soil.