The aim of the work was to verify whether the fermentation of seed material is a suitable pre-sowing treatment of small-leaved lime. Seed material of two origins was treated for a period of 7, 14 and 21 days using anaerobic fermentation and for 10, 20 and 30 days using aerobic fermentation, the control treatment being the seed after warm-cold stratification. The water content, germination capacity and abscisic acid level of the seed were evaluated, together with the emergence and morphological parameters of annual lime seedlings that had emerged from the tested seeds. It was found that fermented seed had a low abscisic acid level (up to 700 pmol/g), a higher germination capacity (approx. 90%) than mature seed without fermentation and the morphological parameters of the seedlings that had emerged from seed after fermentation reached higher values, compared to those of the seedlings that had emerged from seed after warm-cold stratification. The seed material had to be collected green (e.g., immature seeds) and moistened. A suitable anaerobic fermentation time is 7 days; the aerobic phase can last 10, 20 or 30 days. The fermentation of seed material can shorten the preparation of seed for sowing by 1 year.

Department of Food Analysis and Chemistry Faculty of Technology Tomas Bata University in Zlín Vavrečkova 5669 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

Department of Silviculture Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology Mendel University in Brno Zemědělská 1 613 00 Brno Czech Republic

Research Institute Cannasan z ú Třída Svobody 737 Malenovice 736 02 Zlín Czech Republic

Research Station Kunovice Forestry and Game Management Research Institute v v i Strnady Na Záhonech 601 686 04 Kunovice Czech Republic

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