Germination of seed of farm crops in Colorado after storage for various periods of years

Robertson, D.W.; Lute, A.M.

Germination of seed of farm crops in Colorado after storage for various periods of years

1937

Robertson, D.W. | Lute, A.M.

Germination tests were made on the seeds of various farm crops adapted to Colorado conditions which had been stored in a dry, unheated room for periods varying from 1 to 15 years. The germination percentage of wheat, oats, and barley declined slowly for the first 10-year period with a sharp break in germination between the tenth and twelfth years. The drop in germination was as great or greater from the tenth to the fifteenth year as it was from the first to the tenth year. There were indications of different reactions to storage between 6-row hulled, 2-row hulled, and 6-row hulless barleys. Rosen rye and Wisconsin Black soybeans did not maintain their viability to the same degree as wheat, oats, and barley. The trend, however, was the same. The break occurred between the sixth and eighth years and dropped off very rapidly afterward. Black Amber sorghum still maintained an excellent germination percentage after being stored for 10 years. Yellow dent corn germinated well for the first 6 years and dropped off rapidly between the ninth and tenth years and again between the twelfth and thirteenth years. The germination percentage of Rosen rye, Wisconsin Black soybeans, and corn was low at the end of the period of the test.

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