Variations in growth and genetic properties of Zea mays L. germinants exposed to cold shock

Bulletin of the National Research Centre

Table 2 Germination index I of the test plant upon exposure to cold shock

Time of exposure (h)	Time for the first germination to occur (h)	Time for the last germination (h)	Time for spread (h)	Peak germination time (h)	T₅₀ (h)	Speed of germination (%h⁻¹)
0	29.5^a	98.4^b	68.9c	98.4^b	80.4^a	68.9^b
0.5	30.1^a	101.6^b	71.5^bc	101.6^b	93.6^a	71.5^b
1.5	29.3^a	98.6^b	69.3c	98.6^b	95.2^a	69.3^b
3	28.5^a	91.4^b	62.9c	91.4^b	84.7^a	62.9^b
6	27.6^a	116.2^ab	88.6^b	116.2^ab	0^b	88.6^ab
12	29.4^a	134.8^a	105.4^a	134.8^a	0^b	105.4^a
p value	0.310	< 0.001	0.046	0.128	0.116	0.033

The mean on a similar column with the same alphabetic superscripts do not differ from each other (p > 0.05)
T₅₀ time taken for 50% of the total number of seeds to be germinated, beginning with the very moment seeds was exposed to ice (2 days after initiation of germination)