Abstract
Abstract: The high quality is a factor that must be assured in a corn seed production system. In order to achieve this, seeds are harvested with high moisture content, and then artificially dried. However, the costs of this operation are high and may reduce the profits. The objective of the present study was to evaluate, through the physiological quality, the possibility of using intermittence periods for drying corn seeds on the cob in a stationary system. The seeds were harvested on the cob, close to the physiological maturity stage, with an average moisture content of 35%. The treatments consisted of four periods of intermittence (3, 6 and 9 hours) and one period without intermittence. The seeds were stored for six months. To evaluate the physiological quality of the seeds, germination, first germination, electrical conductivity, and the cold tests were performed. The experimental design was completely randomized, in split plots. In a stationary drying system, periods of intermittence of up to 6 hours per day helped to preserve the physiological quality of the corn seeds. The use of intermittence periods in the drying process provides corn seeds with higher physiological quality and greater storage potential, in comparison with the continuous drying.
Highlights
Corn (Zea mays L.) is a crop with one of the largest production areas in Brazil, and it is cultivated in most of the producer states of the country
In Brazil, corn seed production is characterized by the high quality of its products
The use of intermittence periods minimizes the operational cost, because it allows the interruption of the system without compromising the water removal and the quality of seeds
Summary
Corn (Zea mays L.) is a crop with one of the largest production areas in Brazil, and it is cultivated in most of the producer states of the country. In addition to its socioeconomic importance, as it is one of the most important food sources for the population, corn stands out in seed industry due to the considerable cultivated area and to the high seed use rate. It is one of the main crops of interest in this sector. In Brazil, corn seed production is characterized by the high quality of its products This can be partially attributed to the seed harvest timing, which occurs close to the physiological maturity stage, minimizing the deleterious effect of field storage. This practice must be followed by artificial drying in order to prevent the beginning of deterioration process, marked by an increase of respiratory activity and consumption of the reserves (Peske and Villela, 2012)
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