Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

V. NÁPLAVA, H. WEINGARTMANN and J. BOXBERGER:

Quality research of seed maize during drying and conditioning

Part 1: mechanical damage

Summary

In this research we concentrated on the type, size and location of the mechanical damage of two enorm genotypes (hybrides) caused during processing and in a commercial plant. The analysis of the mechanical damage was realized with two methods (Dye test and conduetivity test with HI-8733) at the Agricultural University in Vienna and at the Federal Institute of Plant Production in Vienna (conductivity test with ASAC-1000). The germinative faculty and germinating power were realized by the Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Parndorf). The hybrid Dea exhibited stronger mechanical damage in comparison with the hybrid Helga till sizing stages. The round screen machines increased the mechanical damage further. During the sizing process with slot screens, there was a significant increase of mechanical damage, whereby the round kernels of hybrid Helga proved to be the most sensitive. The results of the analyses of the two conductivity tests were in a good agreement with each other. There was a linear relationship between the values of the mechanical damage found in the Dye test and by electrical conductivity. It is demonstrated that this is a convenient and important method which could be used to determine the seed quality of corn. In the hybrid Dea the germinative faculty and germination power were affected by mechanical damage less than expected, the diminution of the germination was caused primarily by germ-, back side- and flower stalk damage. Key-words: maize, seedcorn, conditioning, mechanical damage, conductivity.