RYE-GRASS SEED

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1931, Page 2

RYE-GRASS SEED

DISTINGUISHING TEST.

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY PALMERSTON N., July 10. A publication of outstanding importance to the ryegrass seed trade, and New Zealand fanners in general detailing the work of Messrs Linehan and Mercer, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Belfast, in perfecting a rapid laboratory method of accurately distinguishing between the seeds of ryegrass, recently has been received by the Plant Research Station, Palmerston North.

This method, with the use of screened ultra-violet rays during germination of the seed, enables information to be available in a few days that hitherto necessitated extensive field trials cover ing many months. The material on which the Irish investigators worked was supplied by the Palmerston North Research Station, and covered all types of ryegrass that are being produced in New Zealand.

Mr Nelson Foy, of the Plant Research Station, has checked up the work of Messrs Linehan and Mercer with additional material available here, with complete verification of the Irish results. He is at present perfecting a method so that it may be generally adopted in all ryegrass certification and testing work performed by the station.

' The method is to germinate the scads to be tested on absorbent paper. These then are placed under ultraviolet rays, when It is found that the tiny roots of the Italian and pseudoperennial ryes leave on the paper material which shines a brilliant blue, whereas the true pernnials exude none of this fluorescent material. It is an easy matter to count up the percentage of Italian there may l>e in a mixed sample.

A matter worthy of note is that the new test has proved that the work of the station in seed certificates from field trials has been remarkably accurate.