Langa, F.P. and Muiru, W.M. and Mbuge, D. and M’Ragwa, L.R. and Olubayo, F.M. and Muthomi, J.W. (2016) Influence of endosperm types, seed moisture content and threshing methods on germination and seedling vigour of sorghum. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 12 (5). pp. 378-383.
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Abstract
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is the most important cereal crops in the world. It is adapted to wide agro ecological zones. It has high production compared to most other cereal crops under drought conditions. The study was conducted to determine the effects of endosperm types, seed moisture content and threshing methods on germination percent, mean germination time and seedling vigour of sorghum seeds. Two varieties of sorghum were grown in two diverse locations namely Kiboko and Katumani. One variety Kari-mtama 1 has hard (vitreous) endosperm, while other variety Seredo has soft (non-vitreous) endosperm. After harvesting, sorghum panicles were dried in the sun and using oven before threshing. The panicles were threshed separately for each drying method at two moisture levels namely 18-20% and 13-14%. The three threshing methods used included beating by wooden stick in tied sack, using wooden mortar and pestle as well as using threshing machine. The seeds from various treatments were evaluated for germination percent, mean germination time and vigour using ISTA rules in the University of Nairobi Laboratory. The results showed that, the seeds from panicles that were threshed at low moisture content (13%-14%) (M.C) had significantly higher germination percentage, seedling vigour and took significantly short time to germinate than those which were threshed at high moisture content (18%-20%). Similarly, seeds that were threshed using threshing machine had significantly higher germination percent, seedling vigour and took shorter time to germinate compared to beating with wooden stick and mortar and pestle The results suggested that, sorghum panicles have to be threshed at low moisture content (13%-14%) to obtain high seed quality. Threshing by machine is the best method to be used to avoid poor seed quality followed by beating with wooden stick. Wooden mortar and pestle threshing method should be avoided in threshing sorghum panicles because it results into high seed mechanical damage and hence lowering germination and seedling vigour as compared to beating with wooden stick and threshing by machine. There was no genotype by environment interactions for germination and seedling vigour. This shows that, the results are applicable for sorghum crop across the environments.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Vitreous variety, Non-vitreous variety, Moisture content, Threshing, Panicles |
| Author Affiliation: | ARI- Chollima Agro-Scientific Research Centre, Dakawa Morogoro-Tanzania |
| Subjects: | Crop Improvement |
| Divisions: | Sorghum |
| Depositing User: | Mr T L Gautham |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jan 2017 06:55 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jan 2017 06:55 |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/14681 |
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