Physiological quality of sweet-corn (Zea mays L.) seeds as affected by methods of harvest, threshing and processing

Abstract

 Sweet-corn (Zea mays L.) seeds harvested manually and threshed manually or mechanically, as well as harvested and threshed mechanically were evaluated for percentage of damage and its effects on the physiological quality of the seeds. Seeds threshed mechanically were passed through the quality table and divided into three portions, respectively spouts 1, 2 and 3, corresponding to higher, medium and lower levels of density. Significant differences in terms of seed weight were observed between treatments, being superior the seeds harvested manually or seeds delivered by the spout 1 of the gravity table, in both cases of manual and mechanical harvests. Seed weight decreased along the different spouts of the quality table, in each different method of harvest. Seeds coming from the combined harvests showed higher levels of mechanical damage. Mechanical damage reduced significantly sweet-corn seed vigor.