The treatment of rape (Brassica napus L.) seeds with the help of electrical field
Institute of Agricultural Engineering of Lithuanian Agricultural University,
Instituto st. 20, Raudondvaris, LT-54132 Kauno r., Lithuania; e-mail: ausra@mei.lt,
stely@mei.lt
Abstract:
The paper presents data about the sorting and stimulation of germination of rape seeds with the help of corona discharge field (CDF). The seed- preparing machines used the electric field to sort seeds according to the unit of mechanical and electrical features and improve germination. A survey of literature discussing the methods of the increasing of seed germination of electro�physical nature and the duration of the various periods from the stimulation to sowing time has been viewed. The conveyer type electric separator designed in the institute was used for the seed processing. The 3�105 V m-1 field strength was used for seed sorting according to the biological value in the electric separator. The change of the germination stimulation effect during the onemonth seed storage period was determined for the seeds with conditional moisture content but two different initial germination rates. The same strength of corona discharge field was used in research of the germination dynamics. The duration of seed treating in the field was 2 s. During the research the following facts were established: that by the sorting of non – conditional rape seeds it is possible to get 80% of seed to correspond to the requirements of the standard; CDF has positive influence on germination dynamics of treated seeds; density function of the seeds treated with CDF is described by lognormal distribution and that of untreated seeds, by normal distribution; the average increase of the germination of stimulated seeds has been reliable during the one-month period from stimulation to sowing. Statistical processing of the test data shows that the increase in germination of the seeds treated with CDF is reliable in comparison with the control.
Key words:
corona discharge field, germination, Rape seeds, sorting