Detection of Incipient Germination in Malting Barley with a Starch Viscosity Method and a Proposed Ethanol Emission Method

Abstract

Cereal Chem. 93(5):450-455The risk of germination loss during storage in two-row malting barley can be reduced by identifying grain lots that have undergone incipient germination (IG) during harvest. A method based on starch viscosity that utilizes a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) is currently available for IG analysis. A new potential method, based on the measurement of ethanol emission (EE) from whole barley, may be more efficient and less expensive than the RVA procedure. Three storage experiments were performed: experiments 1 and 3 at 25°C and 80% rh, and experiment 2 in unheated, uninsulated buildings. Decline in germination energy (GE) varied from <1% to about 80% during storage. In experiments 1 and 3, R 2 for GE loss (expressed as [weeks to 5% loss of GE] 0.2 ) versus EE was 0.76 in both cases, whereas R 2 for GE loss versus RVA viscosity was 0.64 and 0.68, respectively. In experiment 2, the greatest loss of GE was associated with high temperatures and relative humidity in July and August. EE performed as well as RVA in the prediction of germination loss in all three trials. Although further evaluation of the EE method is required, it appears to be a promising alternative to the RVA

Gene expression, biochemical and physiological activities in evaluating melon seed vigor through ethanol release

“…The optimization of ethanol assay protocols may be an efficient alternative to determine the physiological potential of seeds, as the procedures are relatively simple, fast and economical, and can be reproduced, which represents an important initiative directed to the contribution to the advancement of seed technology research. This results are compatible with other vigor tests, but are quickly obtained as for cabbage (Kodde et al, 2012), malting barley (Buckley et al, 2016), and maize (Onwimol et al, 2019).…”

“…High-vigor seeds maintain their cell membrane structure, making it difficult for solutes to enter and exit, due to the high selectivity of the membranes (Moncaleano-Escandon et al, 2013). In this context, less vigorous seeds tend to present membranes with lower integrity, thus facilitating the quick release of ethanol when compared to more vigorous seeds, and consequently, its quantification may provide important information on physiological problems related to seed deterioration (Buckley et al, 2016;Kodde et al, 2012). The optimization of ethanol assay protocols may be an efficient alternative to determine the physiological potential of seeds, as the procedures are relatively simple, fast and economical, and can be reproduced, which represents an important initiative directed to the contribution to the advancement of seed technology research.…”

Ethanol test as a determinant of physiological potential of forest species seeds: The case of Plathymenia reticulata Benth. (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae), a tree of interest for Atlantic Forest restoration

“…A vigor test based on loss of mitochondrial membrane integrity is the ethanol test, which supplies important information on physiological problems related to deterioration, given that more deteriorated seeds produce more ethanol than less deteriorated seeds (Buckley and Buckley, 2009). This test has demonstrated as a promising method compatible with other vigor tests on cabbage (Kodde et al, 2012), malted barley (Buckley et al, 2016), corn (Onwimol et al, 2019), melon (Ornellas et al, 2020), red rice (Barbosa et al, 2021), watermelon, pepper, and radish (Kucukhuseyin et al, 2021). Optimization of ethanol analysis protocols may be an efficient alternative to determine the physiological potential of seeds.…”