Make sure soil moisture and temperature are optimal and check seeds for viability using the flotation test – seeds that sink in water will be viable in all likelihood :)

If you want you can follow this way,

Place your maize seeds in a clear glass or in a small jar, cover them with water and let them soak overnight. While the kernels won’t double in size, they will expand – use a jar or glass with extra room.

Drain the seeds in the morning and give them a fresh rinse in cool water. Cover them with a damp paper towel to conserve moisture, and continue rinsing them at least three times daily until they germinate.

Soak small peat pots in water and fill them with moistened soilless planting medium and keep it in oven at 28˚C for 2-3 days.

In roughly two to five days, a small root will emerge from each kernel; it’s planting time.

N.B: Make sure that seeds are fully covered by filter paper or tissue paper and it’s fully moistened.

Things you need:

• Glass or small jar
• Soilless planting medium
• Distilled water
• Tissue paper or filter paper

Seed inoculation with PGPRs could be another promising option..

Dear Adeel,

Pay attention on water and oxygen;

If available use sand as germination medium;

Collect the data in proportion of normal seedlings;

If available compare the treatments using GLM;

Good luck.

Walter

Dear Adeel:

Do it the seed germination test at optimum temperature.

Pay attention:

The water (for seed Imbibition) is optimum temperature.