High Sprout Resistance

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 10

High Sprout Resistance

r ]MIE discovery at the time of x the major outbreak of sprouting in wheat crops in Southland earlier this year by the senior cereal breeder at the Crop Research Division, Mr L. G. Copp, that one of the division’s new wheat varieties, 1053,01, has a high degree of resistance to sprouting has heightened interest in invest! gations which it is hoped will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of sprouting and to a method of selecting wheat for sprout resistance under conditions similar to those experienced in the field.

In a mist chamber or cabinet where the grain was being constantly wetted at tern peratures of between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, Mi Copp said this week, the redgrain 1053,01 wheat had nol sprouted even after six months. Although possessing this very long dormancy in the head, when the seed was put in the ground under cold con ditions it germinated quite well. To aid these investigations, Mr I. M. Lancaster has been

working at the division on the development of two mist cab inets which will each hold up to 100 heads of wheat and in which studies will be able to be made under varying tern peratures and conditions. Dr J. D. Ferguson, of the Plant Chemistry Division, is also trying to find what is responsible for sprout resistance and, while so far these investigations have not pro gressed far, it seems the peri carp or covering outside the seed coat in 1053,01- effective ly prevents germination.