RT Journal Article SR Electronic A1 Řezníček, Vojtěch T1 Breaking the long dormancy of seeds of the Cornus mas L. species JF Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis YR 2014 VO 55 IS 4 SP 43 OP 52 DO 10.11118/actaun200755040043 UL https://acta.mendelu.cz/artkey/acu-200704-0006.php AB The present study was focused on breaking the long dormancy of harvested and treated seed of the Cornelian cherry. We used stratification, which accelerates ripening, enables rapid termination of dormancy and removes all obstacles to germination. The seeds were obtained from three localities (Tišnov, Lednice, Žabčice). Prior to stratification the seeds were soaked in water for 24 hours and then three stages of treatment were applied; 1<sup>st</sup> control stage - cold stratification, 2<sup>nd</sup> warm-cold stage - five-phase stratification and 3<sup>rd</sup> stage - treatment with auxinoids. In stages 1 and 2 after stratification the seeds were sown in spring; in the 3<sup>rd</sup> stage seeds were sown once again in autumn. In the 1<sup>st</sup> control stage the seeds did not germinate. In the 2<sup>nd</sup> stage after warm-cold stratification 14.13% plants of the Tišnovský 1 ecotype emerged; while only 6.33% plants of the Tišnovský 3 ecotype. In the 3<sup>rd</sup> stage, after auxinoid treatment and autumn sowing, 13.26% and 10.13% plants of Lednický 1 and Lednický 2, respectively, emerged. In the 1<sup>st</sup> control stage 3.86 % of the Jaltský variety and 2.80 % of Elegantní emerged. In the 2<sup>nd</sup> stage after treatment applying warm-cold stratification the varieties achieved various degrees of emergence; Botanický 5.66 %, Elegantní 5.40 % and Fruchtal 5.26 %. The highest proportion of germinating plants was seen in the 3<sup>rd</sup> stage in the Jaltský variety, i.e. 16.74 %, while the emergence of the varieties Fruchtal and Vydubecký was lower, i.e. 14.25 % and 12.20 %, respectively. In the 2<sup>nd</sup> year after a lapse of one year of dormancy the germinating capacity ranged between 62.30 and 76.28 %.Evaluations of the growth parameters of the seedlings were focused on the height of the plants and diameter of the root collar. The height of the seedlings ranged between 0.31 and 0.38 m and the diameter of the root collar between 4.12 and 4.40 mm. The weight of the stones of the ecotypes was considerably lower and ranged between 0.19 and 0.25 g. On the other hand the weight of seeds of the varieties was higher and ranged between 0.36 and 0.60 g. The difference was statistically highly significant. The weight of the seeds, their origin as well as the methods of treatment all affect the number of harvested plants in the first year after sowing. Seed treatment in the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> variants resulted in a higher number of germinated plants than when conventional cold stratification was applied.