Seed Hydration Using the Drum Priming System

Abstract

Drum priming enhances seed performance without the waste and additional materials associated with conventional osmotic or matric priming techniques. Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) se (`White D' Lite') and sh2 (`WSS-4948') endosperm seeds were hydrated using drum priming at 25 °C for 6 hours. During each cycle, 125-g seed samples were exposed to 1.6, 3.2, 4.8, or 6.0 mL of distilled water and then rotated in a drum for 1 hour to ensure uniform uptake. At the end of this period, samples of 100 seeds (each) were removed and moisture content was determined. Drum priming hydrated all seedlots gradually, with increasing time required at reduced water levels for individual seedlots to achieve the desired moisture content (25% to 30%). Drum priming may provide a better alternative to conventional systems of priming.