Failures of cereal crops are occasionally reported, the seed having been dressed with an organo-mercury seed disinfectant and the failures attributed to the dressing. It should be noted, however, that prior to the introduction of the organo-mercury seed dressings similar crop failures had often been recorded, and in many cases failure had been attributed to the dressing which had been applied, or alternatively, to the conditions under which the treated grain had been stored.

Reduced germination during storage is common to all agricultural and horticultural seeds, but although the interaction of the factors involved is complex it is generally recognized that for satisfactory germination to be maintained over the maximum period of storage the following conditions should be observed:

(1) The seed should be of relatively high initial germination.

(2) The moisture content of the seed should approximate to the average for that kind.

(3) Storage temperature and humidity should both be relatively low and not subject to wide fluctuation.

(4) Ventilation should be adequate.