Effect of Seed Vigor Upon Field Performance and Yield of Grain Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench)

Effect of Seed Vigor Upon Field Performance and Yield of Grain Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench)
Author: Cilas P. Camargo
Publisher:
Total Pages: 150
Release: 1971
Genre: Sorghum
ISBN:
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Hybrid grain sorghum seeds were aged artifically for 0, 3, 5, 7, and 11 days at 42oC and 100% RH, wich produced high, medium, low and lowest vigor level. Among the various laboratory tests performed, standard germination and field mergence, were the least sensitive in discerning the physiological condition of the seed lots. The speed of germination more accurately differentiated the degree of deterioration of the seed lots and was closety correlated to yield. Adverse effect of planting low vigor seeds was found to be related to plant height, panicle exsertion, anthesis, tillering capacity, length of the panicle, and yield. Less vigours seeds produced plants which were not able to "catch up" to the vigorous ones. These slow growing plants were significantly inferior in panicle exsertion to those produced from more vigorous seeds. Seeds aged for 7 and 11 days had their process of exsertion delayed for about 2 and 3 days, respectively. Anthesis, conseguently, was also significantly retarded. Tillering capacity of plants produced from low vigor seeds was significantly reduced, as well as grain yield. Primary head yield was also significantly reduced about 14% for the more deteriorated seeds, and 12% for the mixed treatment, as compared to the control. Yield reductions of 9, 4, and 3% were also detected in seeds aged for 7, 5, and 3 days, respectively, as compared to the check. Seed moisture content generally increases as the vigor level decreased, indicating that the process of maturation was delayed as a (...).

Grain deterioration of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) at affected at high relative humidity at physiological maturity and pre-harvest fungicide

Grain deterioration of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) at affected at high relative humidity at physiological maturity and pre-harvest fungicide
Author: M. D. Bhatt
Publisher:
Total Pages: 160
Release: 1985
Genre:
ISBN:
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The field experiment with ' Cosor 5' variety of sorghum was conducted in the Central Experiment Station of UPLB starting from the third week of April 1984. The crop experienced high Rh (78 average) from flowering to seed maturity. One systemic fungicide, out of four kinds, was applied to each plot two weeks before flowering, at flowering and two weeks after flowering to control fungal infection in developing seeds. Seed dry matter accumulation, moisture content, vaibility and vigor were studied at regular intervals starting two weeks after flowering. Seed health and other characteristics were assessed at harvest and the different seed lots were stored under ambient open storape for the succeeding six months to study deterioration every month through the test of germination, AAT, GADA, MC and speed of germination. During storage, germination decreased from an initial 90 percent to 73 percent. Seedsfrom plants sprayed two weeks before, followed by at flowering consistently exhibited higher viability. On the average, a 34 percent loss in viability was observed during storage period as indicated by AAT. Significantly higher germination in AAT only during the later half of thestorage period was shown by seeds obtained from plants sprayed at theearlier two stages. Benomyl and Carboxin treatments as preharvest sprays resulted in better protection from seed-borne fungi as well as in better quality seeds on viability, vigor and storage life. Seeds obtained from the firtsstage of spraying were the in over all performace followed by those from the second spraying stage. The sprays were applied only once and the results were not consistently encouraging in all aspects, thus, it is advisable to apply the systemic fungicides more thanonce. Based on the results of this experiment, the following can be recommended for farmers, seed producers and for further studies. The residual dormancy prevalent in this variety could be over-come by treating seeds at 40 C for six days. Pre-harvest fungicides suitable againstabove mentioned fungi should be applied during the stages: two weeks before flowering (at the emergence of the ear), and at flowering.