Articles
Stable temperature and vacuum for extending the life of stored Sorghum bicolor seed, a model for neglected species
Article number
1460_16
Pages
133 – 140
Language
English
Abstract
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor ‘Nerum Boer’) is an ancient grain that, in many areas where it was once a traditional staple, has been abandoned in favor of crops like maize (Zea mays). Seed banks provide farmers with access to forgotten yet nutritious and drought-tolerant grains like sorghum.
This 6-month trial explored the importance of stable temperature and vacuum for maintaining the viability and vigor of stored sorghum seed.
Sorghum seeds in mylar packets were kept at stable low (10°C), stable high (32°C), and fluctuating (12-33°C each day) temperatures.
For each temperature regime, four heat-sealed packets with and without vacuum were assigned to month 1, 3 and 6 sampling times in a randomized complete block design.
At each sampling period, the 25 seeds from each respective packet were subjected to germination and vigor testing.
The mylar packets kept seed moisture to 10% or less for the duration of the trial.
Seed germination percentage remained high (≥96%) over the 6-month trial.
By month 6, the percentage of seeds with a radicle length of ≥20 mm – the indicator of vigor measured on day 2 of germination testing for each sampling – was highest (80%) and lowest (64%) with stable low and high temperature, respectively (P=0.03). Seed vigor with fluctuating temperature was intermediate (68%), being statistically similar to treatments with stable low and high temperature.
Vacuum sealing, in comparison to sealing of the packets without vacuum, improved month-3 germination of seeds stored at a stable high temperature by 3% (P=0.02) and had no effect on vigor.
Results suggest that, with seeds kept dry, there is a benefit to mitigating against high and fluctuating temperature in maintaining overall quality of stored seed of underutilized grains like sorghum.
This 6-month trial explored the importance of stable temperature and vacuum for maintaining the viability and vigor of stored sorghum seed.
Sorghum seeds in mylar packets were kept at stable low (10°C), stable high (32°C), and fluctuating (12-33°C each day) temperatures.
For each temperature regime, four heat-sealed packets with and without vacuum were assigned to month 1, 3 and 6 sampling times in a randomized complete block design.
At each sampling period, the 25 seeds from each respective packet were subjected to germination and vigor testing.
The mylar packets kept seed moisture to 10% or less for the duration of the trial.
Seed germination percentage remained high (≥96%) over the 6-month trial.
By month 6, the percentage of seeds with a radicle length of ≥20 mm – the indicator of vigor measured on day 2 of germination testing for each sampling – was highest (80%) and lowest (64%) with stable low and high temperature, respectively (P=0.03). Seed vigor with fluctuating temperature was intermediate (68%), being statistically similar to treatments with stable low and high temperature.
Vacuum sealing, in comparison to sealing of the packets without vacuum, improved month-3 germination of seeds stored at a stable high temperature by 3% (P=0.02) and had no effect on vigor.
Results suggest that, with seeds kept dry, there is a benefit to mitigating against high and fluctuating temperature in maintaining overall quality of stored seed of underutilized grains like sorghum.
Authors
T.N. Motis, A.J. Bicksler
Keywords
fluctuating, germination, peltier, stable, mylar, radicle, underutilized, vigor
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