Seeds of dwarf French beans showed evidence of damage alter imbibition in water in the form of dead tissue and high solute leakage. Damage was more extensive in seeds of a cultivar with white testae ...(Tenderette) both at 20°C and with the initial 6 h imbibition at 4°C where damage was more severe, whereas a cultivar with brown testae (Provider) was damaged only alter the 4°C treatment. Tenderette imbibed more rapidly than Provider in both imbibition treatments. The significant correlations within each cultivar of both solute leakage (positive) and the extent of living tissue (negative) with the rate of water uptake, and the reduced damage when seeds imbibed slowly in PEG indicated that this was imbibition damage due to rapid water uptake. Differences in the rates of water uptake were also observed in sand at 15% and 20% mc where rapid imbibition was associated with reduced germination and the production of more abnormal seedlings. A temperature of 4°C during the first 6 h germination in sand at 15% mc also reduced germination, particularly in Tcnderette. It is suggested that the more rapid water uptake by white seeded cultivars of dwarf French beans and their greater susceptibility to imbibition damage are responsible for their low vigour.
