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Don’t Overlook Seed Quality
Deep discounts on sprouted and frozen grain often prompts producers to ask, "Is it advisable to use sprouted or frozen grain for seed?" Producers are trying to recover some value from the damaged grain while reducing the cost of producing crops and may be cutting some corners that they will not be able to afford at harvest time. One of these is using seed with questionable quality. Rain at the wrong time may result in Helminthosporium infestation, commonly seen on the kernel as black point, and sprouting. Late seeded grain may be frozen before maturity. These misfortunes can reduce germination and will certainly reduce vigor of the seed.
Frozen grain
Seed that was frozen before it matured will not have the advantage of complete physical and physiological development needed for maximum expression of vigor. Coleoptiles, the temporary sheath enclosing the shoot of the plant, are characteristically shorter and will not develop properly, releasing and exposing the first true leaf to the abrasive soil. What is seen on the surface is poor emergence and upon inspection, may appear that the seed was placed too deep in the soil.
Sprouted grain
As seeds age, they undergo gradual changes which lowers their potential vigor and performance capability. The speed of deterioration depends largely on the environment in which they are stored and to some extent on the environmental condition which existed during seed development. When sprouting occurs, enzyme activation initiates and a break down of storage tissue and a transfer of nutrients to the growing point. The rapid dry down experienced under field conditions such as sprouted grain does just before harvest will result in poor vigor, slow emergence and weak seedlings. Accelerated aging of seed occurs with sprouting so vigor and germination of seed decreases rapidly.
Diseased grain
Black point (Helminthosporium) causes seed discoloration. Infestation by microorganisms causes deterioration of seeds in storage and may further reduce seedling vigor by attacking the germinating seedling. Many species of fungi that are normally saprophytic can become parasitic on young seedlings. Substances leached from the germinating seed may enhance fungal growth. Since low vigor seed is more susceptible to loss of nutrients through leaching, which in turn provides a substrate for fungal growth, the competitive advantage of fungi-infested seed is shifted in favor of the microorganism. The effect may be intensified by other conditions such as cold, damp soil and poor physical quality of the seed. Seedling infections can be reduced by shallow planting and by using clean or fungicide treated seed.
Sprouted and frozen grain should be fed to livestock or find a buyer and move it off the farm. Using it for seed increases the probability of having a poor crop.
Roger Ashley, Area Extension Agronomist
Dwain Barondeau, Hettinger County Extension Agent
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