Physiological quality of maize seed depending on size, shape and treatment

Abstract

Corn seeds are classified according to shape and size in order to facilitate the sowing in the field. Also, they receive a chemical treatment in pre-seeding phase, in order to reduce or eliminate pest problems during the initial stage of development. Because of this, the objective of this study was to determine the physiological quality of maize seeds depending on the size, shape and chemical treatment. This work was conducted at the Multidisciplinar Laboratory of the Rio Grande do Sul State University - UERGS, Santa Cruz do Sul Unit, Brazil, to determine the physiological quality of maize seeds depending on size, shape and chemical treatment. It was used BG7049 hybrid corn seeds, provided by Pioneer Seeds Ltda. Following analysis were performed: germination test, modified cold (FM) test, germination speed index and fresh weight, and root and shoot length determinations. For BG7049 early hybrid corn, larger seeds, flat and round, showed less physiological quality compared to smaller seeds. Among the formats, the flat seeds presented higher physiological quality. It was not possible to conclude about the chemical treatment, because it depends on the pre-existence of pathogenic agents.