Weed seeds contaminating cattle feed can pass unaffected through the animal's digestive tract and may germinate when manure is returned to land as fertilizer. This investigation was undertaken to determine the effects of anaerobic fermentation of raw manure on the viability of Johnsongrass and Fall Panicum seeds which may be present in the waste. Dairy waste containing Johnsongrass and Fall Panicum seeds were subjected to batch and continuously-fed anaerobic fermentation processes in laboratory-scale digesters. The effect of influent solids concentration (4% and 6%) and retention time (15 days and 20 days) on seed viability was observed. The experiments were carried out in the mesophilic temperature range [35°C±1ºC]. Fall Panicum seeds were found to be less resistant to anaerobic digestion than Johnsongrass seeds. Greater seed destruction was achieved in 20-day digesters than in the 15-day digesters. The influent solids concentrations did not have significant effect on seed viability. By applying the Schafer-Chilcote seed population model, it was observed that the fermentation process was more effective in destroying non-dormant seeds than dormant seeds. / Master of Science

Master of Science

The effect of fertilizers and the variable weather conditions of temperature and moisture have presented many problems of a scientific nature of the agronomist. Not only has this been true for some time with the scientific agronomist, but of late years these problems have found their place in the working knowledge of the practical farmer from a crop standpoint. Many times the farmer fails to get a stand of certain crops due to bad germinations of the seed. This is attributed to bad seed, disease seed, old seed, to wet land and many other similar reasons. Not until recent years has the farmer attributed the inability to get a good stand of different crops on the land to the effect of fertilizers. Some of the more wide-awake farmers of today have noticed repeatedly that with certain seeds when sown with certain fertilizers a poor germination has always resulted. It has become common practice of many farmers in planting crops in which the seed is sown with the drill to mix the fertilizer with the seed and sow it out the same spout together, thus putting the fertilizer in contact with the seed. Many of the farmers are reporting bad germination from this practice and are asking for information about the effect of certain fertilizers on germination of certain seeds. To be able to give practical information on such problems as these, is the aim for this experiment work. / Master of Science

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra l.), a valuable timber in species in the eastern United States, has a delayed growth in the early years of establishment. Freshly harvested northern red oak seed exhibit dormancy that may be broken by stratification or pericarp removal. In this research, germination, seedling growth and adenylate energy metabolism of northern red oak with pericarp removed and intact was measured during stratification (5C) for two consecutive years. Two seed moisture levels (50% and 70% d.w.) during stratification were tested on intact acorns, pericarp removed seeds and acorns intact during stratification and then the pericarp removed prior to germination. Pericarp removal increased germination five-fold at harvest (from 10% to 55%), but almost half the naked seeds were still dormant. There was a deepening of dormancy during the first 4 weeks of stratification; but, stratification for 6 to 8 weeks significantly increased germination and germination rate. Etiolated seedlings grew taller and faster from acorns that had been stratified 8 to 12 weeks than from acorns with no or only 4 weeks of stratification. Significant increases in root, shoot, and axial dry weight and lengths, and root/shoot ratios were observed as early as 14 days after germination. Pericarp removal had no significant effect on seedling growth. Relative growth rates of seedlings were compared by pericarp treatment and stratification time. There were no significant differences in germination or seedling growth between 50% and 70% seed moisture content. Adenylate (ATP, ADP, AMP) levels were measured using the luciferin-luciferase assay). Energy charge (EC) increased during stratification at 2 weeks when germination was low. Thereafter EC decreased before increasing at 8 weeks of stratification. This second rise in EC was concurrent with an increase in germinability. ATP concentrations during the 28 day growth time appeared to be associated with surges in relative growth rates of roots and shoots. / Ph. D.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 M62 / Master of Science

Thesis (MScAgric.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Experi!11entsin KwaZulu-Natal showed that seed treatment with molybdenum (Mo) could double the yield and increase the protein content by 1.9% of soybeans grown on acidic soils. However, it was also found that soybean yield at five of the localities was reduced on average by 8% after Mo seed treatment. It was surmised that the yield reductions observed after Mo seed treatment were connected to the quality of the seed used for planting. The aim of this project was to assess the relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment and find a fast, easy quality assessment test that could be used to adapt Mo treatments according to seed quality. The first investigation entailed assessing the quality of the seed obtained, from various seed lots, for planting. A number of different seed quality testing techniques were performed and they included the accelerated ageing test, tetrazolium test, conductivity test, standard germination test and an emergence . test planted at different depths with incubation at different temperatures. All the test results were compared with the accelerated ageing test results, to find the test most closely correlated to the accelerated ageing test, which is regarded as the most accurate indicator of soybean seed vigour. It was found that the emergence test where the seeds where planted at 10 cm presented a close correlation with the accelerated ageing test. An assessment of seed quality revealed that the four different seed lots provided seed of three significantly different levels of quality, which could be used for further investigations. The second investigation was concerned with the reaction of the seed of different quality levels to Mo seed treatment. Firstly, seeds from four different seed lots were treated with five different concentrations of Mo and planted under acidic conditions. The establishment was monitored up until six weeks, at which point the experiment was terminated. In the second planting, seeds from the four different seed lots were treated with six different concentrations of Mo and planted under optimum pH conditions. Emergence was monitored and after thinning out the remaining plants were left to mature and produce seed. The emergence percentage results from both of these two plantings did not reveal the alleged positive effect Mo seed treatment has produced in the field and no definite relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment was observed. The third investigation was concerned with the effect that osmoconditioning had on the reaction of seed to Mo seed treatment. Seeds from two seed lots, one of very poor quality and the other of good quality, were pre-treated with four different levels of poly-ethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and then treated with four concentrations of Mo. They were planted under optimum pH conditions and establishment was monitored. After being thinned out the remaining plants were allowed to mature and produce seed. The emergence percentage results revealed that the PEG pre-treatments greatly improved emergence percentages, especially in the poor quality seed. There were some positive effects of Mo seed treatment observed where the lower concentrations of Mo were used, but again, no definite relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment was found. PEG pre-treatment appeared to help make the seeds more "resistant" to the harmful effects of Mo. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsing in KwaZulu-Natal het aangetoon dat saadbehandeling met molibdeen (Mo) die opbrengs van sojabone op suurgrond kan verdubbel en die proteieninhoud met tot 1.9% kan verhoog. Daar is egter ook gevind dat sojaboonopbrengs op vyf lokaliteite met gemiddeld 8% gedaal het na saadbehandeling met Mo. "nVermoede bestaan dat die opbrengsverlagings wat voorgekom het na saadbehandeling met Mo verband hou met die kwaliteit van saad wat vir die aanplantings gebruik is. Die doel van die projek was om vas te stel wat die verband tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling is en om "n vinnige en maklike toets te vind om saadkwaliteit te bepaal om sodoende Mo behandelings aan te pas volgens saadkwaliteit. In die eerste eksperiment is die kwaliteit van verskillende saadlotte wat verkry is, getoets. "n Aantal verskillende tegnieke om saadkwaliteit te bepaal is uitgevoer. Die tegnieke was die versnelde verouderingstoets, tetrazoliumtoets, konduktiwiteitstoets, standaard ontkiemingstoets en "n vestigingstoets waar saad op verskillende dieptes geplant en by verskillende temperature geïnkubeer is. Die resultate van die verskillende toetse is gekorreleer met die resultate van die versnelde verouderingstoets, wat beskou word as die toets wat die beste aanduiding gee van saadgroeikragtigheid. Daar is gevind dat sade wat 10 cm diep in sand geplant is, se opkoms die beste korrelasie met die versnelde verouderingstoets toon en dus as "n goeie aanduiding van die kwaliteit van saad beskou kan word. Daar is gevind dat daar drie saadlotte is met duidelike kwaliteitsverskille wat gebruik kon word in verdere eksperimente. Die tweede eksperiment het die reaksie van saad van verskillende kwaliteitsvlakke teenoor molibdeen saadbehandeling ondersoek. Eerstens is saad van vier verskillende saadlotte behandel met vyf verskillende konsentrasies Mo en onder baie suur toestande geplant. Die vestiging is gemonitor vir ses weke waarna die eksperiment gestaak is. Daarna is saad van dieselfde vier saadlotte behandel met ses verskillende Mo konsentrasies en onder optimum pH toestande geplant. Vestiging is gemonitor en na ses weke is die plante uitgedun en twee plante per pot is gelaat om saad te produseer. Die ~ vestigingspersentasie van beide die eerste en tweede plantings het nie die verwagte positiewe effek teenoor Mo saadbehandeling getoon nie en geen betekenisvolle verwantskap tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling kon waargeneem word nie. Die derde eksperiment het die invloed van osmokondisionering op die reaksie van saad op Mo saadbehandeling ondersoek. Saad van twee saadlotte, een van goeie kwaliteit en een van swak kwaliteit, is voorafbehandel met poli-etileen glikol (PEG 6000) en daarna met vier konsentrasies van Mo behandel. Die sade is onder optimum pH toestande geplant en die vestiging is gemonitor. Nadat dit uitgedun is, is die oorblywende twee plante gelaat om saad te produseer. Die vestigingspersentasies het getoon dat PEG voorafbehandelings vestiging betekenisvol verbeter, veral in die geval van lae kwaliteit saad. Daar was 'n . positiewe effek van Mo saadbehandeling waar relatief lae konsentrasies molibdeen toegedien is, maar daar kon weereens nie 'n duidelike verwantskap tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling waargeneem word nie. Dit blyk dat PEG voorafbehandeling die sade meer bestand teen die skadelike invloed van Mo gemaak het.

Orientador: Sandra Helena Unêda-Trevisoli / Coorientador: Antonio Orlando Di Mauro / Coorientador: Cibele Chalita Martins / Banca: Everton Luis Finoto / Banca: Ivana Marino Bárbaro Torneli / Banca: Rinaldo Cesar de Paula / Banca: Gustavo Vitti Môro / Resumo: O presente estudo foi realizado com os objetivos principais de: verificar as associações existentes entre caracteres agronômicos e caracteres relacionados à qualidade fisiológica de sementes de soja; determinar alterações fisiológicas e no teor de óleo em sementes de soja, ao longo do período de armazenamento, além de selecionar progênies superiores de soja por meio de análises multivariadas. Para isto, as relações existentes entre os caracteres agronômicos de plantas e fisiológicos de sementes foram verificadas por meio da análise de correlações canônicas em sete populações e duas cultivares comerciais, em três gerações: plantas F3 e sementes F4; plantas F4 e sementes F5; e sementes e plantas na geração F4. Os caracteres agronômicos de plantas (grupo I) avaliados foram: número de dias para maturidade, altura da planta na maturidade, altura de inserção da primeira vagem, número de vagens, produção de grãos e teor de óleo. A qualidade fisiológica das sementes (grupo II), foi avaliada por meio do teste de germinação, envelhecimento acelerado, emergência e índice de velocidade de emergência. As mesmas populações e cultivares também foram avaliadas antes do armazenamento e após seis meses, armazenadas em ambiente com temperatura e umidade controladas, através de testes de germinação, vigor, teor de água e teor de óleo, em esquema fatorial 2 x 9. Para as análises multivariadas, 20 populações segregantes de geração F4, foram avaliadas para os seguintes caracteres agronômicos: númer... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study aimed to examine the associations between agronomic traits and traits related to physiological seed quality in soybean seeds, determine physiological and oil content alterations during the storage and select superior progenies using multivariate analysis. For this, the relationships between agronomic traits and physiological of seed traits were evaluated using canonical correlation analysis in seven segregating populations and two commercial cultivars conducted in three generations: plants F3 and seeds F4, plants F4 and seeds F5 and seeds and plants in generation F4. The agronomic traits (group I) evaluated were: number of days to maturity, plant height at maturity, first pod height, number of pod per plant, grain yield and oil content. The seed physiological quality (group II) was evaluated by percentage of germination, percentage of emergence, emergence speed index and accelerated aging. The same populations and cultivars were also evaluated before the storage and after six months stored in cold room by germination test, vigor, seed moisture and oil content, arranged in a 2 x 9 factorial design. For the multivariate analysis, 20 segregating populations in generation F4 were evaluated using the following agronomic traits: number of days to flowering, number of days to maturity, plant height at maturity, first pod height, number of branches per plant, number of pod per plant, number of nodes per plant, grain yield and oil content. It was used the principal compone... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

O presente trabalho teve como objetivos verificar a eficiência de procedimentos para avaliação do potencial fisiológico de sementes de pimentão e procurar identificar suas relações com a germinação sob diferentes temperaturas e com a emergência de plântulas. Paralelamente, foram efetuadas análises de imagens obtidas com o emprego de radiações X, procurando associar a morfologia interna das sementes ao seu desempenho e determinar possíveis causas de variações do potencial fisiológico. Utilizaram-se cinco lotes de sementes dos híbridos Reinger e Sentinel. A avaliação do potencial fisiológico das sementes foi realizado mediante a condução do teste de germinação, envelhecimento acelerado com solução saturada de NaCl (48h/41°C), emergência de plântulas (percentagem e velocidade), teste de tetrazólio (3h/45°C para embebição e 2h/5°C para a coloração das sementes) e teste de germinação (percentagem e velocidade) sob cinco faixas de temperatura (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, 25°C e 30°C), em mesa termogradiente. Para o teste de raios X, as sementes radiografadas foram classificadas em função do estádio de desenvolvimento e morfologia dos embriões; posteriormente ao teste de germinação, procurou-se relacionar a estrutura das sementes com as respectivas plântulas/sementes resultantes. Os testes de envelhecimento acelerado com solução saturada de NaCl e de tetrazólio são adequados para a avaliação do potencial fisiológico das sementes e, lotes vigorosos apresentam bom desempenho sob variações de temperatura, na germinação. O teste de raios X é eficiente na identificação de danos e anormalidades no embrião associados à germinação de sementes de pimentão. / This study aimed to verify the efficiency of procedures for the physiological potential assessment of pepper seeds and seek to identify its relationship with germination under different temperatures and the emergence of seedlings. In parallel, we performed the analysis of images, obtained with the use of radiation X, seeking to associate the internal morphology of seeds to their performance and to determine possible causes of changes of physiological potential. The study used five seed lots of hybrids Reinger and Sentinel. The evaluation of physiological potential of the seeds was achieved by conducting the germination test, accelerated aging with saturated solution of NaCl (48h/41°C), emergence of seedlings (percentage and speed), the tetrazolium test (3h/45°C for imbibition and 2h/5°C for colouration of seeds) and germination test (percentage and speed) on five tracks of temperature (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, 25°C and 30°C) in thermogradient table. For the X-ray test, radiographed seeds were classified according to the stage of development and morphology of the embryos; after the germination test, the structure of seeds were associated with the respective resulting seedlings/seeds. The accelerated aging test with saturated solution of NaCl and tetrazolium test are appropriate for assessing the physiological potential of pepper seeds, and vigorous lots show good performance under variations of temperature in germination. The X-ray test is effective in identifying damage and abnormalities in the embryo associated with germination of pepper seeds.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-02-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:09:10Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gaspar_cm_me_botfca.pdf: 521265 bytes, checksum: 2ea9149b8ffb9b7740854c7d6d7d5211 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / O tempo recomendado pelas Regras para Análise de Sementes (R.A.S.), para a conclusão do teste de germinação de Brachiaria brizantha, é considerado longo pelos laboratórios de análise, produtores e comerciantes dessas sementes, representando um entrave na tomada de decisões relacionadas à comercialização. O presente trabalho objetivou determinar o tempo mínimo necessário à realização do teste de germinação para sementes de B. brizantha cv. Marandu (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf e determinar o método de superação de dormência e a temperatura, recomendados pelas R.A.S., que proporcionem a maior germinação no menor tempo. A pesquisa foi conduzida em duas etapas. Na primeira, trinta lotes de sementes foram submetidos ao teste de germinação, com quatro repetições, sob duas condições de temperaturas alternadas (15-35ºC e 20-35ºC), sem (ausente) e com os seguintes métodos para a superação de dormência: umedecimento do substrato com KNO3 (0,2%) e imersão das sementes em H2SO4 (98% 36N) por 15 minutos, seguido de lavagem em água, constituindo 6 tratamentos. Realizaram-se contagens diárias do número de plântulas normais, para a determinação da data mais apropriada para o término do teste. Na segunda etapa foram realizados testes de germinação em oito lotes, sendo dois de alto vigor, quatro de médio vigor e dois de baixo vigor, nos mesmos 6 tratamentos e com encerramento nas datas definidas na primeira etapa da pesquisa. As sementes não germinadas após o término do teste de germinação foram submetidas ao teste de tetrazólio para verificar sua vitalidade, e, dessa forma, comprovar a eficiência da metodologia estabelecida na primeira etapa. O delineamento experimental considerou os lotes como repetições. Na primeira etapa para cada repetição, em cada combinação de tratamento, foi realizado um ajuste... / The time recommended by the Brazilian Rules for Seed Analysis (R.A.S.) for the ending of the Brachiaria brizantha germination test, is considered long for the analysis laboratories, producers and merchants of those seeds, representing a problem in taking decisions related to commercialization. The present work had as objective to define the minimum time necessary to carry out the B. brizantha cv. Marandu (Hochst. ex. A. Rich.) Stapf. germination test and determine the dormancy breaking method and the temperature, recommended by R.A.S, that provide the largest germination in the smallest period. The research was carried out in two parts. In the first, 30 lots of seeds were submitted to the germination test, with four replicates, under two conditions of alternated temperatures (15-35ºC and 20-35ºC), without (none) and with the following dormancy breaking methods: substrate moistened with a solution of KNO3 (0,2%) and immersion of the seeds in H2SO4 (98% 36N) for 15 minutes, followed by a wash in water, forming 6 treatments. Daily counting of the number of normal seedlings was carried out, to define the most adequate date to the end of the test. In the second part germination tests were carried out in eight lots, being two of high vigor, four of medium vigor and two of low vigor, in the same 6 treatments and with the ending in date indicated in the first part of the experiment. The remaining seeds at the end of the germination test were submitted to the tetrazolium test to verify their viability, and, thus, confirm the efficiency of the methodology defined in the first part. The experimental design considered the lots as replicates. In the first part for each replicate, in each treatment combination, a non-linear adjustment was accomplished, in which the function parameters were estimated, and a growth curve to determine the minimum time necessary to carry out... (Complete abstract, click electronic access below)

O presente trabalho teve como objetivos verificar a eficiência de procedimentos para avaliação do potencial fisiológico de sementes de pimentão e procurar identificar suas relações com a germinação sob diferentes temperaturas e com a emergência de plântulas. Paralelamente, foram efetuadas análises de imagens obtidas com o emprego de radiações X, procurando associar a morfologia interna das sementes ao seu desempenho e determinar possíveis causas de variações do potencial fisiológico. Utilizaram-se cinco lotes de sementes dos híbridos Reinger e Sentinel. A avaliação do potencial fisiológico das sementes foi realizado mediante a condução do teste de germinação, envelhecimento acelerado com solução saturada de NaCl (48h/41°C), emergência de plântulas (percentagem e velocidade), teste de tetrazólio (3h/45°C para embebição e 2h/5°C para a coloração das sementes) e teste de germinação (percentagem e velocidade) sob cinco faixas de temperatura (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, 25°C e 30°C), em mesa termogradiente. Para o teste de raios X, as sementes radiografadas foram classificadas em função do estádio de desenvolvimento e morfologia dos embriões; posteriormente ao teste de germinação, procurou-se relacionar a estrutura das sementes com as respectivas plântulas/sementes resultantes. Os testes de envelhecimento acelerado com solução saturada de NaCl e de tetrazólio são adequados para a avaliação do potencial fisiológico das sementes e, lotes vigorosos apresentam bom desempenho sob variações de temperatura, na germinação. O teste de raios X é eficiente na identificação de danos e anormalidades no embrião associados à germinação de sementes de pimentão. / This study aimed to verify the efficiency of procedures for the physiological potential assessment of pepper seeds and seek to identify its relationship with germination under different temperatures and the emergence of seedlings. In parallel, we performed the analysis of images, obtained with the use of radiation X, seeking to associate the internal morphology of seeds to their performance and to determine possible causes of changes of physiological potential. The study used five seed lots of hybrids Reinger and Sentinel. The evaluation of physiological potential of the seeds was achieved by conducting the germination test, accelerated aging with saturated solution of NaCl (48h/41°C), emergence of seedlings (percentage and speed), the tetrazolium test (3h/45°C for imbibition and 2h/5°C for colouration of seeds) and germination test (percentage and speed) on five tracks of temperature (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, 25°C and 30°C) in thermogradient table. For the X-ray test, radiographed seeds were classified according to the stage of development and morphology of the embryos; after the germination test, the structure of seeds were associated with the respective resulting seedlings/seeds. The accelerated aging test with saturated solution of NaCl and tetrazolium test are appropriate for assessing the physiological potential of pepper seeds, and vigorous lots show good performance under variations of temperature in germination. The X-ray test is effective in identifying damage and abnormalities in the embryo associated with germination of pepper seeds.