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Cottonseed Viability After Long‐Time Storage 1
Author(s) -
Stewart J. McD.,
Duncan E. N.
Publication year - 1976
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/agronj1976.00021962006800020008x
Subject(s) - germination , cottonseed , gossypium barbadense , germplasm , biology , horticulture , agronomy , moisture , cultivar , gossypium , gossypium hirsutum , botany , chemistry , organic chemistry
Longevity of seed and knowledge of the conditions required to maintain seed viability are important in the preservation of germplasm. Cottonseed ( Gossypium hirsutum L., G. barbadense L., G. thurberi Tod.) storage experiments were initiated in 1937 to establish conditions required to maintain long‐term viability of cotton. This is the final report of those experiments. In one experiment, seed ( G. hirsutum L.) of two cultivars were stored in sealed containers at moisture levels of 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14%, and at temperatures of 32, 21, and 0 C. For the last 10 years, only those seed stored near 0 C were carried forward, since all seed stored above this temperature were nonviable. Germination trials were conducted at 25 C for a 10 day period. Seeds containing 11% or less moisture and stored near 0 C had approximately 60% germination after 37 years. In a related experiment cottonseed grown during the 1920's and 1930's in Arizona were tested for germinability. These seeds were stored unsealed at ambient temperature from the year of production until 1957. Thereafter they were sealed and stored cold. The oldest viable seed lots were produced in 1929 and had a maximum germination of 60% in 1974. Several of the pregerminated seed were grown to mature plants. This probably represents the oldest recorded viable cottonseed.