Certified Crop Advisor Practice Exam

What is the expected outcome when conducting a standard germination test?

1. Seeds do not sprout

2. Viable seeds germinate

3. Seeds develop into mature plants

4. Seeds remain dormant

The correct answer is: Viable seeds germinate

The expected outcome when conducting a standard germination test is that viable seeds germinate. This test is designed to assess the percentage of seeds in a sample that are capable of germinating under optimal conditions. When the seeds are placed in a suitable environment—controlled temperature, moisture, and light, if necessary—viable seeds will initiate the germination process by sprouting. This outcome is crucial for understanding seed quality and viability in agriculture and horticulture. A high germination rate indicates that a batch of seeds is healthy and likely to produce plants, while a low rate suggests potential issues with the seeds that may affect production. In contrast, the other choices do not represent the objective of a standard germination test. The scenario where seeds do not sprout generally indicates that they may be non-viable or require specific conditions to germinate, which would not be the outcome expected from a well-conducted test. The development of seeds into mature plants occurs after the germination phase and is outside the scope of this particular test. Lastly, seeds remaining dormant may happen if they are not in the right conditions for germination, but again, this is not what is expected when performing the germination test, which specifically looks for the initial sprouting of