Seed Dormancy in Red Rice (Oryza sativa) I. Effect of Temperature on Dry-Afterripening

Abstract

The effect of postharvest storage temperature (–15, 5, 20, and 30 C) on seed dormancy of red rice [Oryza sativa L. ‘strawhulled (SH)’], an annual species, was studied. Intact and dehulled (by hand) seeds were dormant at harvest. Intact seeds were nondormant (greater than 90% germination at 30 C) after dry storage at 20 or 30 C for 4 weeks after harvest. In intact seeds stored dry at 5 C, the degree of dormancy was dependent upon postharvest exposure time at 20 C prior to storage. Dormancy of intact seeds decreased at 5 C as this initial postharvest exposure to 20 C was increased from 2 to 7 days. This effect of initial 20 C exposure was independent of seed moisture content (11 to 12%). After dry storage of intact seeds at 5 C, dehulling promoted germination. Germination of such dehulled seeds increased with increasing storage time at 5 C up to 11 months when complete germination occurred. The response of seeds dehulled immediately after dry storage at 5 C was independent of prior exposure time (2 to 7 days) at 20 C. Storage at −15 C prevented all forms of dry-afterripening for 1 yr.