Premium
Hygroscopic Equilibrium and Viability of Naturally and Artificially Dried Seed of Crimson Clover, Trifolium incarnatum 1
Author(s) -
Ward H. S.,
Butt J. L.
Publication year - 1955
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/agronj1955.00021962004700120007x
Subject(s) - citation , horticulture , library science , mathematics , computer science , biology
1 production of pasture and forage crops in the Southeastern United States has been accompanied by a corresponding rise in harvesting, processing, and storage of seed from these crops. If seed of high viability are planted, it is necessary to know how to cure and store these seed. Little is known concerning the behavior of seed during curing and storage under Southeastern climatic conditions. Research pertaining to curing and storing seed was begun in 1947 at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute Agricultural Experiment Station, with some results being published in 1950 (1). This paper presents data on the hygroscopic equilibrium of the Auburn Reseeding Strain of crimson clover (Trifolium incarnattim L.) and its relationship to the viability of naturally and artificially dried seed. Several workers have shown the importance of the hygroscopic equilibrium curves in determining behavior of seed during curing and storage (1, 2, 9, 11). Hygroscopic equilibrium data may be used to show the following: 1. The seed moisture content expected after curing in a known atmospheric relative humidity. 2. The relative humidity of the air contacting the seed of a known moisture content. 3. The changes in seed moisture content with fluctuations in relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere. 4. The critical seed moisture content and the corresponding relative humidity for maintaining seed viability during storage can be predicted from the hygroscopic equilibria accompanied by germination data.