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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
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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

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