Selection against sprouting damage in wheat I. Germination of unthreshed grain, with a standard wetting procedure

Abstract

An examination was made of germination events of non-dormant wheat grain, enclosed in the ear, and wet under repeatable conditions in a rain simulator. This formed one part of a study in which several aspects of phenotypic variability associated with germinability of wheat grain were examined.

Following imbibition, the germination sequence was sprouting, endosperm degradation, and ß-amylase response, which was relatively late in occurrence. Apparently, other germinative enzymes contributed substantially to first endosperm degradation.

Selection criteria against sprouting damage were discussed with respect to these sample findings. Also, a sprouting damage score was found to be potentially useful for rapid selection amongst large numbers of populations.