Drying of meadow fescue seeds of different moisture contents: Changes in dormancy and germination
2013
Authors
Stanisavljević, RadeMilenković, Jasmina
Đokić, Dragoslav
Terzić, D.
Petrović, M.
Đukanović, Lana
Dodig, Dejan
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
In the past few years in Europe grass seed production declines. This tendency is especially pronounced in meadow fescue. Seed shedding and therefore yield losses are the problem in seed production. This can be reduced if seed of higher moisture contents is harvested. The impacts of drying temperatures of 70, 60, 50, 40 and 22 degrees C on changes in dormancy and germination of seed harvested with moisture contents of 45, 35 and 25% were observed in the present study. The analysis was done immediately after seed drying, then three months later and eight months later. Seeds with the moisture content of 45% that were dried at 70 degrees C were not dormant at all after harvest, but seeds were damaged, which resulted in reduced germination. Drying temperatures of 40 degrees C and 50 degrees C resulted in maximum germination of seed harvested with 45% moisture after three months. After eight months the best germination of all seeds was obtained at 22 degrees C and 40 degrees C. The seed agei...ng test confirmed faster deterioration of seeds harvested with higher moisture contents. Seed harvested with 25% moisture and dried at 22 degrees C is the most suitable seed for longer storage.
Keywords:
Festuca pratensis / germination ability / post-harvest maturation / seed viability / seed storageSource:
Plant Soil and Environment, 2013, 59, 1, 37-43Publisher:
- Czech Academy Agricultural Sciences, Prague
Funding / projects:
- Improvement of genetic potential and technologies in forage crops production in function of sustainable animal husbandry development (RS-MESTD-Technological Development (TD or TR)-31057)
DOI: 10.17221/551/2012-PSE
ISSN: 1214-1178