Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T21:00:39.167Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessments of visible mechanical damage to barley grain and its effect on seed germination and seedling vigour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Gillian P. Whytock  and
Alison A. Powell
Gillian P. Whytock
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB9 1UD
Alison A. Powell
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB9 1UD
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Damage to barley grain cv. Golden Promise was induced in the laboratory by putting seed at 8·7, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 35% moisture content (MC) through a mechanical laboratory thresher for 10, 20 or 45 sec. The extent of visible external damage was greatest at 8·7 and 14% MC with reduced and similar levels of damage after handling at 18–35% MC. At moisture contents up to and including 26%, seeds could tolerate extensive mechanical damage with little effect on seed quality. Seed germination and seedling vigour were, however, reduced after handling at 35% MC despite similar levels of external damage to those seeds handled at 18, 22 and 26% MC. Samples of grain of cv. Triumph produced by whole-crop harvesting included mainly slightly damaged seeds with little effect of harvest moisture content, which ranged from 22·5 to 44%, on the incidence of damage. Seed germination and seedling vigour increased when seeds were harvested at progressively lower moisture contents, with the largest increase between 36% MC (56% germination, 6·1 vigour rating) and 29·5% MC (94% germination, 7·8 vigour rating). The seed quality of whole-crop harvested seed at 29% MC was similar to that of combined seed harvested at the same moisture content. It is suggested that 30 % is the maximum harvest moisture content at which commercially acceptable seed may be produced by the whole-crop harvesting method.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 107 , Issue 2 , October 1986 , pp. 257 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon. (1976). International rules for seed testing1. Seed Science and Technology 4, 4–177.Google Scholar
Anon. (1979). Report of ADAS/ARC Ways and Means Panel on Whole Crop Harvesting. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.Google Scholar
Arnold, R. E. & Jones, M. P. (1963). A survey of grain damage incurred and drum settings used during the combine harvesting of Cappelle-Desprez wheat and Proctor barley. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 8, 178–184.Google Scholar
Cashmore, W. H. (1932). The effect of heat on the germination of grain. Technical Notes on Mechanised Farming No. 2. Institute of Research in Agricultural Engineering, University of Oxford.Google Scholar
King, D. L. & Riddolls, A. W. (1962). Damage to wheat and pea seed in threshing at varying moisture content. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 7, 90–93.Google Scholar
Koehler, B. (1975). Pericarp injuries in seed corn. Prevalence in dent corn and relation to seedling blights. Bulletin Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station 617, 1–72.Google Scholar
Matthews, S. & Powell, A. A. (1981). Controlled deterioration test. In Vigour Test Handbook (ed. Perry, D. A.), pp. 49–56. Zurich: International Seed Testing Association.Google Scholar
Mitchell, F. S. (1955). The effect of drum setting and crop moisture content on the germination of combine harvested wheat. National Institute of Agricultural Engineering Report, No. 51, 22 pp.Google Scholar
Mitchell, F. S., Arnold, R. E., Caldwell, F. Y. K. & Davies, A. C. W. (1955). The effect of drum setting and crop moisture content on the germination of combine harvested barley. National Institute of Agricultural Engineering Report No. 56, 13 pp.Google Scholar
Moore, R. P. (1963). Previous history of seed lots and differential maintenance of seed viability and vigour in storage. 'Proceedings of the International Seed Testing Association 28, 691–699.Google Scholar
Nellist, M. E. (1981). Safe drying temperatures for seed grain. In Seed Production (ed. Hebble-thwaite, P. D.), pp. 371–388. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Perry, D. A. (1981). Seedling growth and seedling evaluation tests. In Vigour Test Handbook (ed. Perry, D. A.), pp. 10–20. Zürich: International Seed Testing Association.Google Scholar
Wilton, B. (1978). Whole crop cereals: harvesting, drying and separation. Agricultural Engineer 33, 4–5.Google Scholar
Wilton, B., Amini, F. & Randjbar, I. (1980). Whole crop cereals: a low cost approach. Agricultural Engineer 35, 7–10.Google Scholar