Smooth Seeds Research Articles

A study of the colour and other characters of the seed of some varieties of oil seed poppy

Among oil seed poppy varieties differences exist in colour and shade of the seed. The best insight into the nature of a variety with respect to the colour and shade of the seed is obtained by examining seed of individual plants. Some varieties (Emmabloem, Nobel) produce seed of one colour; others (Noordster, Eckendorf selections) are composed of plants which differ in seed colour. In a plant by plant analysis, each colour always appears in a series of shades. Important differences exist in the shade-variation curve of the different varieties. The development of the shades is influenced by environmental conditions. In some varieties (Emmabloem, Nobel) selection for shade did not result in a shift of the range of shades in the offspring. In other varieties (Noordster, Eckendorf selections) a shift did occur. Selection for colour always had a clear positive effect. The shade of poppy seed shows a high correlation with the calcium oxalate content of the outer layer of the seed coat. The height of the ridges on the seedcoat affects the quality of the outward appearance of the seed. High ridges make the seed rough to the touch and create the impression of bulky kernels. Within varieties, however, the height of the ridges is negetatively correlated with kernel weight. In the varieties Emmabloem and Nobel only high ridges are found on the seedcoat. Other varieties (Noordster and Eckendorf selections) are variable with respect to this character. In these varieties nearly smooth seeds occur.

Effects of Sulphuric-Acid Delinting on Cotton Seeds

1. Tests of the value of delinting the seeds with H2SO4 before planting have been made with six varieties of cotton used widely in Oklahoma. 2. Delinting of the seeds by means of this agent gives a higher percentage and an increased rate of germination. No injury to the embryo results, providing the treatment is not prolonged. 3. The successful optimum duration of the delinting process was 5 minutes for long staple upland varieties, and could be extended to 20 minutes without injury in short staple cotton seeds. 4. Yields from mature plants derived from delinted seeds exceeded those from undelinted by an average of 21.4 per cent, under the same field conditions. 5. Smooth delinted seeds are well adapted to agricultural practices with modern machinery; and by the cooperative use of a delinting machine, the cost is moderate.

XV.—Strophanthus sarmentosus: its Pharmacological Action and its use as an Arrow-poison.

In the course of an endeavour, which was successful only after a number of years, to obtain specimens for the purpose of identifying the species of Strophanthus that produces the smooth seeds which had been chemically and pharmacologically investigated by one of us several years ago, the follicles, flowers and other parts of a number of different species of Strophanthus were obtained from Africa. Among them, S. sarmentosus was represented, and in the course of time a sufficient quantity of seeds of this plant was collected to allow an examination to be undertaken of their chemistry and pharmacology.