Abstract
ABSTRACT: Successive cycles of water absorption and loss favor weathering deterioration, one of the main factors that affect the quality of soybean seeds. This study evaluated the physiological, physical, and morpho-anatomical changes in soybean seeds under weathering deterioration at the pre-harvest phase. Six soybean cultivars (BMX Apolo, DM 6563, NS 5959, NA 5909, BMX Potencia, and TMG 1175) were produced in a greenhouse and underwent weathering deterioration through a rainfall simulation system, applying 0, 60, 120, and 180 mm of precipitation at pre-harvest phase. Each rainfall level was divided into two applications at an interval of 72 h: 60 mm (30 + 30), 120 mm (60 + 60), and 180 mm (90 + 90). After harvest, the seeds were evaluated for germination, vigor, physical and morpho-anatomical properties. Weathering deterioration induced by simulated rainfall at the pre-harvest phase contributes to the reduction in soybean seed germination and vigor and is conditioned by the soybean genotype. The increase in intensity of simulated rainfall led to a more significant weathering damage in seeds, as evidenced by the X-ray and tetrazolium test. Cultivars DM 6563 and BMX Potencia were more susceptible, while NA 5909 was less susceptible to weathering deterioration (especially at the highest level; 120 mm and 180 mm). Anatomical changes caused by weathering deterioration lead to cell compaction and rupture, mainly in the cell layers of the hourglass and parenchyma, forming intracellular spaces. The presence of weathering damage caused a reduction in physiological soybean seed quality.
Highlights
Soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds are highly susceptible to environmental stresses at pre-harvest, such as the occurrence of rains or daily changes in relative humidity, especially associated to high temperatures (Shu et al, 2020)
Forti et al (2013) reported that soybean seeds with weathering damage had lower germination and vigor, due to deterioration in the field. These authors reported that X-ray test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are effective to evaluate the effects of weathering damage
The effects of humidity and air temperatures were reinforced by the tetrazolium test that showed deteriorated and dead tissue in seeds under weathering deterioration, confirming that weathering damage resulted in a reduction in the physiological potential of seeds and influenced their tissue integrity
Summary
Soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds are highly susceptible to environmental stresses at pre-harvest, such as the occurrence of rains or daily changes in relative humidity, especially associated to high temperatures (Shu et al, 2020). Weathering deterioration contributes to the reduction of seed germination and vigor and physiological tests, such as germination, tetrazolium, electrical conductivity, among others, are commonly used to evaluate the weathering process (Forti et al, 2013; Castro et al, 2016; Huth et al, 2016; França-Neto and Krzyzanowski, 2019). Weathered soybean seeds often show characteristic wrinkles on the coat surface and are generally related to physiological potential reduction (Forti et al, 2013) In this sense, the X-ray test, a faster and non-destructive analysis, has arisen as an alternative and efficient technique for the physical analyses of seeds (Rahman and Cho, 2016; Medeiros et al, 2020). These analyses could provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in this process
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