ПОКАЗНИКИ ЯКОСТІ НАСІННЯ ГІБРИДІВ КУКУРУДЗИ ЗА ТРИВАЛОГО ЗБЕРІГАННЯ

Abstract

The research results about the influence of various factors on seed quality of maize hybrids during their long-term storage are presented. The main of them is seed moisture content and a packaging type. These factors largely determine the intensity of physiological and biochemistry processes, acidity, surface microflora affection level, and also influence the seed viability and germination. It was found that the seed moisture content over one year during seed storage in airtight conditions (for example, in plastic bags) ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 %. This indicator did not exceed the critical level, which for maize consist of 15 %. During storage of seeds in paper bags, the seed moisture content ranged from 1.9 to 4.1 %, its maximum was 15.9 %; if in fabric bags, the indicator ranged from 2.8 to 5.1 %, with maximum of 16.8 %. It was established that: firstly, at storage for one year, the seed moisture content largely increased in the winter and spring, reaching a critical level; secondly, during further storage of seeds, namely in the summer, the moisture content was reduced, but did not reach the initial values in the experiment. It was found that the storage longevity of seeds is extended by storage in airtight containers, in par-ticular, in plastic bags, at a seed moisture content of 7–8 and 10–11 %. Under such conditions, for 3–4 years, the seeds have low acceptable acidity, low levels of bacterial and fungal affection, and are fully suitable for sowing, with conditioned laboratory germination and field germination – at 80 % and above. Given the above, the guaranteed term of economic suitability of the seed material of maize hybrids should be no less than 3–4 years. Key words: maize hybrids, quality, seeds, factors and conditions of long-term storage, germination.