雞母珠(Abrus precatorius L.）屬豆科(Lequminosae)雞母珠屬(Abrusr)植物，莢果扁平狀長橢圓形，內有種子3～6 粒，種子具備硬實休眠性。本研究目的主要探討不同成熟度之雞母珠種子之發芽能力及不同處理對雞母珠種子休眠解除之影響。由開花後不同成熟度種子水分含量變化顯示從開花後15 天之86％，隨種子成熟度增加，水分含量明顯下降，開花後60 天種子水分含量則僅13％。由不同開花天數未烘乾與烘乾種子發芽能力比較，新鮮種子於開花後55 天發芽率高達57%，新鮮種子於開花後30 天就具備發芽能力；烘乾種子發芽率以開花後50 天發芽率為最高達16%。濃鹽酸和濃硫酸浸泡不同時間的處理，發現浸泡濃鹽酸對雞母珠種子硬實休眠性的解除效果差，發芽率低於10％，濃硫酸浸泡30 分鐘達到77％發芽率效果最佳。浸泡不同溫度熱水和不同磨砂時間，發現浸泡熱水對雞母珠種子硬實休眠性的解除效果差，發芽率不到25％，而磨砂時間以10 分鐘發芽率達63％最高。利用浸泡濃硫酸30 分鐘，發現開花後第35 天和第40 天的發芽率無明顯上升，但45 天後的發芽率卻明顯上升，表示雞母珠種子在開花後第45 天達到種子已漸成熟。綜合各處理結果，利用浸泡濃硫酸做硬實休眠解除，可使種子發芽率提高。

Abrus precatorius L. is a Lequminosae Abrusr plant. Its pod fruit, flat and ellipse,contains 3~6 seeds which have hard dormancy. The purpose of this research was tostudy the germination ability of seeds of different maturity (indicated by days afterblooming) and effects of various treatments on dormancy breaking of Abrus precatoriusL. seeds. Moisture content of seeds decreased with seed maturity. The moisturecontents were 86 % and 13% for seeds developed 15 days and those 60 days afterblooming, respectively. The germination of dry seeds and fresh seeds of differentmaturity was also compared. Fresh seeds developed 30 days after blooming already hadgermination ability. Fifty-seven percent of fresh seeds developed 55 days afterblooming were able to germinate. In contrast, only 16 % of dry seeds developed 50 daysafter blooming had germination ability. The germination percentage of seeds soakingin different solution was also compared. Soaking seeds in hydrochloric acid had littleeffect on breaking the dormancy of the seeds, only 10 % of seeds germinated in thistreatment. In contrast, soaking seeds in sulfuric acid for 30 minutes greatly increased thegermination percentage to 77%. Seeds being soaked in hot water had only 25 % ofgermination percentage. Ten minutes of stratification significantly increased seedgermination percentage to 63 %. Soaking seeds, developed 35 and 40 days afterblooming, in sulfuric acid did not improve germination percentage. In contrast, seedsdeveloped later than 45 days after blooming when soaked in sulfuric had significantlyincrease in germination percentage. It indicates that seeds of the Abrus precatorius L.reach maturity after 45 days of blooming. Soaking mature Abrus precatorius L. seeds inthe sulfuric acid can break dormancy and enhance germination percentage.