Photoregulation of seed germination of wild-type and of an aurea-mutant of tomato

Seed germination of an aurea mutant of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is promoted by continuous irradiation with red, far-red or long-wavelength far-red (758 nm) light as well as by cyclic irradiations (5 min red or 5 min far-red/25 min darkness). Far-red light applied immediately after each red does not change the germination behaviour. Seed germination of the isogenic wild-type, cv. UC-105, is promoted by continuous and cyclic red light while it is inhibited by continuous and cyclic far-red light and by continious 758 nm irradiation. Far-red irradiation reverses almost completely the promoting effect of red light. The promoting effect (in the aurea mutant) and the inhibitory effect (in the wild-type) of continuous far-red light do not show photon fluence rate dependency above 20 nmol m⁻² s⁻¹. It is concluded that phytochrome controls tomato seed germination throgh low energy responses in both the wild type and the au mutant. The promoting effect of continuous and cyclic far-red light in the au mutant can be attributed to a greater sensitivity to P_fr.