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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pendleton, Oregon » Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #69202
Title: RELATIONSHIP OF WHEAT SEED SPROUTING SEVERITY, PLANTING DEPTH, AND SEED TREATMENT TO EMERGENCE AND YIELD.

Author
item CHASTAIN, THOMAS - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item Klepper, Elizabeth
item Wilkins, Dale

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/1994
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Farmers would like to use sprouted wheat seed for seeding because they must take significant decreases in price for it in the marketplace. This study was done over a two year period in the field in order to determine the effects of seeding depth and seed fungicide treatment on stand establishment and yield for sprouted wheat lots. Shallow seeding was more successful than deep seeding, and seed fungicide treatments reduced stand in one, but not the other, year. Seedling vigor was proportional to degree of sprout damage. The results can be used by growers to make quantitative adjustments to seeding rate to compensate for seed damage from sprouting. By allowing them to plant sprouted seed, the information will allow them more flexibility when untimely rain causes sprout damage.

Technical Abstract: Negative effects of preharvest sprouting on wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) baking quality are well known, but limited information is available on field performance of sprouted seed and plants grown from sprouted seed. Field trials were seeded with "Stephens'" soft white winter wheat in 1989 and 1990 near Pendleton, OR, to determine the effects of sprouting severity, and seeding depth, and fungicide seed treatment on emergence, growth, development, and yield of plants from sprouted seed. A sprouting, severity score was developed as follows: A=no visible sprouting, B=partial embryo exposure, C=full embryo exposure, and D=physically damaged embryo. Emergence and early crop growth were not affected when sprouting was not visible (A), but were significantly reduced when embryos were fully exposed (C) or damaged (D). Emergence and early seedling growth were reduced in proportion to sprouting severity of the seed. Carboxin + thiram seed treatment had negative effects on stands produced from sprouted seed with fully exposed embryos, but these results were not consistent from year to year. Grain yield of plants grown from sprouted seed was not different from that of normal seed except when embryos were damaged (D). In seeding depth and seed treatment experiments, sprouted seed produced poorer stands and early growth than normal seed only in one trial. Grain yield of plants produced from sprouted seed was not influenced by seed treatment. Shallow seeding produced better stands and yield than deep seeding, regardless of seed quality. The sprouting, severity score has potential in evaluating sprouted seed lots for use as seed wheat.