Is it possible determine the physiological maturity of seed corn (Zea mays) by tetrazolium salt?

• Grant number: 14/13851-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2014
• End date: February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Ana Dionisia da Luz Coelho Novembre
• Grantee: Luiz Felipe Nicoleti Torrezan
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The global seed market represents billions of dollars annually and constitute the fundamental role of seed production system; thus it is essential to use seed of superior quality. The information from the literature, it is clear that the seeds have the highest quality at physiological maturity, therefore, constitutes the ideal time to harvest. However, it is difficult to characterize the physiological maturity of seeds and are considered some parameters, such as phenological characteristics of plants and seeds and other seeds, such as water content and changes in the accumulation of mass and germination. Additionally, for corn seeds were visual and practical, to determine the physiological maturity as related to the formations of the milk line and black layer established methods. However, such variations and reviews have not identified any biochemical process of the seed. In this sense, there is a tetrazolium salt that is already used in other areas of science to assessing living cells and that in Seed Technology, is used in a test to estimate the viability of mature seeds. However, there are no reports of research in the literature, national and international, on the utilization of salt to evaluate seed formation. Thus, this research relates the use of tetrazolium salt with the formation of seed corn, in order to determine the physiological maturity and associate this feature with the time of harvest of the seed and harvested seed quality. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

TORREZAN, Luiz Felipe Nicoleti. Is it possible to determine the physiological maturity of the corn seeds (Zea mays) using the tetrazolium salt?. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.