Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant known as a disinfectant. Its germination percentage and germination rate is generally low due to dormancy. Dormancy and germination requirements were investigated in this plant. Seeds of Echinacea purpurea were subjected to different treatments including various levels of GA3 (100, 200 and 300 ppm) and KNO3 (0.5, 1 and 1.5 percentage) for 2 hours and prechilling (50 °C) for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. The germination percentage and germination rate significantly increased in all of treatments. The highest germination and germination rate were obtained in prechilling treatment that induced over 90% germination. The mean germination time also improved in all of treatments and shortest mean germination time also was observed in prechilling treatment.

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