Effect of Seed Maturity on Field Corn Seed Quality Supot Faungfupong, Pornpreeda Wanapichit and Porn Rungchang

Abstract

Effect of seed maturity on field corn seed quality was studied at the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center, Nakhonrajasima province during July to November of 1979 and 1980. In order to obtain cprn seeds of thirteen different maturities, Suwan 1 variety was planted in 1979. At harvest, seed moisture content and a 100 seeds-weight were recorded. These seeds were dried to approximately 12% moisture content and stored in cold storage for the 1980 evaluation. As seed developmental stage proceeded, its moisture content decreased gradually to a value of 31.1% at physiological maturity stage. Seed weight, on the contrary, increased with seed developmental stage and reached the maximum during physiological maturity stage. The 1980 trial showed that germination and seedling vigor were increased with increasing maturity of seed being used. A satisfactory level of seed germination and seedling vigor was observed only when seed Age of 33 days after silking or older were used.