seed enhancing fluid(Gibberellic acid)

Has anyone heard of this/bought the product?

If they have, what are the results?

 

Yup, I have heard of it.
It is used to stimulate difficult seeds into germinating.

Not sure where you get it from though.

 

Never used it, although I have used saltpetre for a similar reason. I may give it a go as I have some seeds that are proving difficult to germinate and it is suggested as a means of kicking them into life.

 

Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide is used for the same thing. Cheap & freely available.

 

That sterilises the seed, which reduces the risk of mould growth which will likely prevent germination. Often import for seeds that are slow to germinate.

Gibberellic acid is a plant hormone, as @JWK said, and it is involved in the germination process, thus a different animal.

Gibberellic acid is not particularly expensive, but getting the concentration right is critical, too much can prevent germination, and too little will do nothing ...

I have some, I have used some, but I don't think its been any use (in what I have used it for). I also used it when working on commercial nurseries, to accelerate seed germination, but they obviously knew exactly how much for the seeds they grew.

 

I have banana (ensete ventricosum)(musa lasiocarpa) and Bird of Paradise.

 

Banana notoriously low germination rates. 10% germination is good (so if you only have 10 seeds don't hold your breath!). Best sown fresh I think, so might be worth sowing soonest anyway. Can benefit from a temperature change simulating Day/Night - so perhaps 30C for the day part and 18C for the night part.

 

As A side line,
I bought some Ensete seed a while ago.
I had quite a few so I only sowed half of them, they came with a sachet of saltpeter, which I made up the solution and soaked according to instructions.
I had one seed in about 12 germinate.

A couple of months later I sowed the rest of the seed, but this time I poured near boiling water on the seed then left it to soak for two days.
I got three to germinate by that method. Four plants is more than enough for me.

No real test, I know, but boiling water is also suggested for many Acacia seeds.

 

PS, never had a problem germinating BOP seed just as long as it is fresh, and it needs about 80F.

 

I have read (Dave of HTUK) that hot water causes the air in the seed, under the seed cost, to expand - and be expelled - and as the temperature reduces the seed contracts and "sucks in" water, kick-starting germination.

I've also see a recommendation to put the seeds in some water in a pump up sprayer, and pressurise it = too force the water into the seed, with the same kick-start effect.

Lot of faff getting the seeds in, and out, of the sprayer I reckon ... there might be simpler ways of pressurising them though?