Crop Science Grow Your Career with CSSA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Published in Crop Sci 17:534-538 (1977)
© 1977 Crop Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nelson, S. O.
Right arrow Articles by Wolf, W. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Nelson, S. O.
Right arrow Articles by Wolf, W. W.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Nelson, S. O.
Right arrow Articles by Wolf, W. W.

Laboratory Germination and Sand Emergence Responses of Alfalfa Seed to Radiofrequency Electrical Treatment1

S. O. Nelson, W. R. Kehr, L. E. Stetson and W. W. Wolf2

The use of radiofrequency (RF) dielectric heating was studied for rendering hard seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) permeable to water. The treatment increased laboratory germination and greenhouse-sand emergence of several alfalfa seed lots that contained high percentages of hard seed. The treatments produced corresponding reductions in hard-seed percentages and, at proper exposures, did not damage seed viability. At moisture contents from 2.7 to 9.8%, effectiveness of treatment improved as seed moisture content was lowered before treatment. At normal contents of seed moisture (about 6 to 8%), treatments that reduced hard seed content without detrimental effects resulted in final seed temperatures of about 70 to 80 C. Greenhouse-sand emergence tests and normalseedling counts in laboratory germination tests were generally in good agreement. Numbers of abnormal seedlings in treated and untreated samples were not significantly different. Quality of RF-treated seed, maintained in storage at 4 C and 50% relative humidity for up to 15 years after treatment, was as good as that of untreated control seed.

Key Words: Dielectric heating • Seedcoat permeability • Hard seed • Medicago sativa L.

1 Contribution of the ARS-USDA, in cooperation with the Nebraska Agric. Exp. Stn., Lincoln, NE 68583. Published as Paper No. 5127, Journal Series, Nebr. Agric. Exp. Stn.

2 Research leader (agricultural engineer), research agronomist, and agricultural engineer, respectively, ARS-USDA, Lincoln, Neb., and agricultural engineer, ARS-USDA, Phoenix, Ariz.

Received for publication September 23, 1976.




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
The SCI Journals Agronomy Journal Vadose Zone Journal
Journal of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences Education		 Soil Science Society of America Journal
Journal of Plant Registrations Journal of
Environmental Quality		 The Plant Genome
Copyright © 1977 by the Crop Science Society of America.