Rapid, non-destructive methods for measuring seed germination and vigour are valuable. Standard germination and seed vigour were determined using 81 soybean seed lots. From these data, seed lots were separated into high and low germinating seed lots as well as high, medium and low vigour seed lots. Near-infrared spectra (950–1650 nm) were collected for training and validation samples for each seed category and used to create partial least squares (PLS) prediction models. For both germination and vigour, qualitative models provided better discrimination of high and low performing seed lots compared with quantitative models. The qualitative germination prediction models correctly identified low and high germination seed lots with an accuracy between 85.7 and 89.7%. For seed vigour, qualitative predictions for the 3-category (low, medium and high vigour) models could not adequately separate high and medium vigour seeds. However, the 2-category (low, medium plus high vigour) prediction models could correctly identify low vigour seed lots between 80 and 100% and the medium plus high vigour seed lots between 96.3 and 96.6%. To our knowledge, the current study is the first to provide near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based predictive models using agronomically meaningful cut-offs for standard germination and vigour on a commercial scale using over 80 seed lots.
The period for the germination test of Surinam grass seeds established by the Rules for Seeds Testing is 28 days, considered too lengthy by producers, venders, and seed analysis laboratories. So, the objective of this research was to evaluate the possibility of reducing the time for the germination test of Surinam grass seeds and to establish a method for dormancy breaking and the ideal temperature. Ten seed lots were submitted to the following treatments to overcome seed dormancy: control; substrate moistening with 0.2% KNO 3 ; and scarification with sulfuric acid (98% 36 N) for 15 minutes. After the treatments, the lots were submitted to seed water content, germination and tetrazolium tests. During the germination test, conducted with four replicates of 100 seeds per treatment for 28 days, two conditions of alternating temperatures (20-35 °C and 15-35 °C) with 8 hours of light were tested. Attempting to determine the test end date, daily counts of the number of normal seedlings were made and for each lot, treatment, and temperature, a growth curve for the evaluation of germination was adjusted. The segmented regression model parameter estimations were calculated for each treatment. The germination test of Braquiaria decumbens seeds may be evaluated in 12 days after sowing using alternating temperatures of 20-35 °C and without any treatment to overcome dormancy.Index terms: Brachiaria decumbens; dormancy overcoming; ideal temperature. RESUMOO tempo para o teste de germinação de sementes de capim-braquiária estabelecidos pelas Regras de Análise de Sementes é de 28 dias, sendo considerado muito longo por produtores, vendedores e laboratórios de análise de sementes. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a possibilidade de reduzir o tempo para o teste de germinação de sementes de capim-braquiária, estabelecendo o método de quebra de dormência e a temperatura ideal. Dez lotes de sementes foram submetidos aos seguintes tratamentos para quebra de dormência: controle; umedecimento do substrato com solução de 0,2% de KNO 3 ; e escarificação com ácido sulfúrico (98% 36 N) por 15 minutos. Após os tratamentos, os lotes foram submetidos à determinação do teor de água e aos testes de germinação e de tetrazólio. Durante o teste de germinação, realizado com quatro repetições de 100 sementes por tratamento por 28 dias, foram testadas duas condições de temperaturas alternadas (20-35 °C e 15-35 °C), com 8 horas de luz. Visando determinar a data de término do teste foram feitas as contagens diárias do número de plântulas normais e, foi ajustada uma curva de crescimento para a avaliação da germinaçãopara cada lote, tratamento e temperatura. O teste de germinação de sementes de Braquiária decumbens pode ser avaliado em 12 dias após a semeadura utilizando-se temperaturas alternadas de 20-35 °C, sem qualquer tratamento de quebra de dormência.Termos para indexação: Brachiaria decumbens; superação de dormência; temperatura ideal.
ABSTRACT:The available research concerning the processing of grass seeds is scarce, despite its fundamental importance for national and international agribusiness. The objective of this project was to evaluate the effects of processing phases on the physical and physiological quality of tanzania grass seeds for commercialization purposes. Seeds were sampled before processing and after leaving the air and screen machine (upper and intermediate screens and bottom); first gravity table (drift, upper and intermediate spouts); treating machine; second gravity table (upper, intermediate, and lower spouts). Seeds were evaluated as to water content, physical quality (purity and 1,000 seeds weight) and physiological (germination, first count of germination, seedling vigor rating, seedlings length of primary roots and shoots, seedling emergence in the field, and emergence speed index). The processing of Tanzania grass seeds in the air screen cleaner machine and gravity table are efficient to improve the physical quality of the lot. The seed treatment with dye ink reduces the seedlings emergence speed in the field. The processing is not required to meet the national commercialization standards of the Tanzania grass seeds, but for the international.
Obtaining corn hybrid seeds (Zea mays L.) with high vigour depends on the parental lines and the direction of the cross, and this relates to seed desiccation tolerance and composition. This research studied reciprocal crosses between pairs of proprietary, elite parent lines (L1 and L5; L2 and L4) producing hybrid seeds with different qualities attempting to correlate vigour with seed composition, focusing on storage proteins, starch and soluble sugar amounts. Four corn hybrid seed lots produced from reciprocal crosses were compared (HS 15 with HS 51, and HS 24 with HS 42) by assessing germination, vigour, and seedling emergence in the field. Seed composition was assessed in mature, dehydrated seeds. Proteins were extracted, quantified, and analysed by electrophoresis and densitometry. Starch amounts were assessed using a kit and soluble sugars were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with pulsed electrochemical detection. The L1 and L2 lineages, used as female parents, provided seeds with lower vigour; however, the quantification of major protein bands, and sucrose, raffinose and stachyose were similar between seed lot pairs. While both total seed protein and starch varied between reciprocal hybrids for one of the two sets of crosses, the amounts of neither correlated with seed vigour. Interestingly, hybrids with low seed vigour (HS 15, HS 24) accumulated greater amounts of fructose relative to their reciprocal; correlation analysis confirmed these results. We demonstrate different effects on seed vigour dependent on the maternal parent in reciprocal crosses producing hybrid corn seeds. We also show that vigour is negatively correlated with seed reducing sugar contents.
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