Variability of corn seed quality depending on their postharvest processing

Abstract

The influence of technological operations of postharvest processing on seed quality of hybrids and a self-pollinating corn line was studied; causes of quality decline and varietal peculiarities of processing hybrids in a typical factory were identified.

The aim and tasks of the study. To explore and establish variability of seed quality of hybrids and a self-pollinating corn line, to define operations that have the greatest influence on quality in the processing course in a typical corn-processing factory.

Material and Methods. The experiments were carried out at a factory with the seasonal capacity of 500 tons of seeds with a standard set of machinery and technological equipment. Seed moisture, pureness, damage, germination power and rate as well as seed yield were estimated by the conventional methods. The source material was the hybrids Dneprovskiy 181 SV, Khmelnitskiy, Solonyanskiy 298 SV, Zbruch, line KT21 C.

Results and Discussion. Post-harvest processing at the factory had different effects on germination rate and seed yield; the performance parameters did not reduce after acceptance-drying of ears, but they significantly deteriorated after ear threshing and seed cleaning-sorting. Seed dressing positively influenced on field germination rate and seed yield, however, the degree of influence varied across hybrids. The main causes of quality decline were seed damage and admixture of self-hulled (threshed from wet ears) grain. Seeds were mostly damaged, when they are moved through elevators and flow pipes. The hybrid Solonyanskiy 298 SV was the most resistant to damage in the processing course at the factory and of high quality. Seeds from harvests of different years had various  quality during processing at the factory.

Conclusions. Under conditions of a typical corn-processing factory, given variability of seed quality, it is necessary to improve and upgrade technology and equipment for ear threshing and sowing material cleaning-sorting operations. In order to reduce damage and improve  seed quality it is advisable to pick out self-hulled grain from ear mass before feeding them to the dryer.