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Effects of Freezing and Mechanical Injury on Viability of Sorghum Seed¹

Our purpose was to determine the effect of freezing temperatures on the viability of sorghum seed at different moisture levels and the damage to seed which may result from threshing.

Viability of sorghum seed with a moisture content of less than 40% was not reduced when the seed was frozen for 12 hours at 1.7 or 0 C (29 or 32 F). The damage to seed with 35% moisture or higher increased with the duration of the freezing period when frozen at 3.3 C (26 F). The results from the two years indicate that the mid-twenties is a critical temperature for causing injury to seed with an excess of 20% moisture.

Increased cylinder speeds of the thresher not only increased, the percentage of cracked seed, but also reduced the germinability of ‘sound’ seed and increased the percentage of abnormal seedlings. Injury also increased as the moisture content of the seed increased. Abnormal seedlings are probably due to injury to the radicle and plumule in the dormant embryo.

² Formerly graduate student (present address Agrifirst Chemical Corp., Lincoln, Nebr.); and Research Agronomist, Crops Research Division, ARS, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Received for publication September 20, 1966.