Developing methods to test breeding material for seed germination and vior

Peanut cultivars released over the past 10-15 years trace a high percentage of their parentage to plant introductions including PI203396. Several cultivars developed from PI203396 had poor seedling germination and vigor which limited and/or halted commercial production. Continued breeding with cultivars derived from Pl203396 has resulted in variation in seedling germination and vigor that borders on unacceptable. Given the ever present threat of spotted wilt and the inherent cost in peanut seed, improved germination and seedling vigor would be of great benefit to peanut growers. Breeding programs do not routinely evaluate germplasm for germination and seedling vigor largely because methods for doing so are not available. 
For 2015, we request funding to develop and test methods of testing for improved seed germination and seedling vigor. During early 20 I 4 (January-April), we hosted an intern from Bolivia who developed preliminary data on this topic and we plan to extend the work he started.