Use of desiccant application to enhance the germination and vigor of inbred corn seed

The objective of this study was to assess the comparative effect on warm and cold germination of seed from five different inbred maize cultivars following Defol 750 (sodium chlorate) application at approximately 50% moisture content. The trial was conducted in 2016 at the Syngenta Seed Production Research Farm in Waterloo, Nebraska using a randomized complete block consisting of three locations with a factorial arrangement of sodium chlorate treatment and an untreated control. Sodium chlorate application improved the cold germination of one variety by a score of 17.5 and showed significant effect of desiccation on the cold germination on the tested inbreds (p0.05). The application of sodium chlorate also resulted in a significant effect on an inbred seed size interaction (