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The Relation of Moisture Content and Time of Harvest to Germination of Immature Corn 1
Author(s) -
Sprague G. F.
Publication year - 1936
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1936.00021962002800060011x
Subject(s) - germination , agricultural experiment station , citation , agriculture , division (mathematics) , agricultural science , agronomy , political science , mathematics , horticulture , library science , environmental science , geography , biology , computer science , archaeology , arithmetic
After-ripening of immature corn is coincident with the loss of moisture. Immature corn planted immediately after harvest exhibits great variability in time of germination. With a decrease in moisture content, the percentage of seeds germinating is increased and the variability in time required for complete germination is decreased. The moisture content of immature seeds must be reduced to approximately 25% before normal germination occurs. Corn kernels require a minimum of approximately 35 and 60% of moisture in whole grain and embryo, respectively, before germination can occur. It is suggested that the mechanism which inhibits the normal germination of newly harvested immature corn operates in the scutellum rather than in the endosperm or pericarp.