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- Author or Editor: Dennis M. TeKrony x
- HortScience x
Both seed viability and vigor directly affect the performance of seeds planted to regenerate the crop. Although seed quality can influence many aspects of performance (e.g., total emergence, rate of emergence), this presentation will primarily examine the relationship of seed vigor to one aspect of performance - crop yield. Reductions in yield can be indirectly related to low seed vigor if the low vigor seed results in plant populations that are below a critical level. Thus, we investigated the direct effects of seed vigor on yield in the absence of population differences for annual crops that are harvested at three stages; during vegetative growth, early reproductive growth or at full reproductive maturity. Seed vigor affects vegetative growth and is frequently related to yield in crops that are harvested during vegetative growth or during early reproductive growth. However, there is usually no relationship between vigor and yield in crops harvested at full reproductive maturity because seed yields at full reproductive maturity are usually not closely associated with vegetative growth. The use of high vigor planting seed can be justified for all crops; however, to insure adequate plant populations over the wide range of field conditions which occur during emergence.