EFFECT OF INJURY OF WINTER WHEAT SEEDS ON THEIR SOWING TRAITS
The article gives the results of the study of the effect of injuries on quality of seeds received during their harvesting and postharvest treatment. It has been shown that the amount of injury to seeds largely depends on a number of mechanical impacts on grain. The best sowing quality of seeds was noted during a hand threshing. Microinjuries of seeds don’t reduce laboratory germination, but have negative impact on the power of growth and field germination. A maximum number of seed microinjuries was done after harvesting with the combine “Don 1500” (25-29 %). Moreover, we found a decrease of growth power and field germination. A minimum number of seed microinjuries was done after harvesting with the combines “John Dir” and “Case”. The indicators of growth power were slightly different in comparison with a hand threshing - 94-95 sprouts. While threshing with the combine “Wintersteiger” the number of seed microinjuries was 27-29 %, which resulted in reducing of growth power and field germination in comparison with a hand threshing on 3-9 units, or 5-6 %. During seed purification a maximum number of seed microinjuries was done while threshing it with “ZAV-20” (32-38 %), which resulted in decrease of growth power to 86-89 sprouts and field germination to 78-81 %. Seed microinjuries have a great effect on growth and development of plants on the primary stages of organogenesis. The seeds, harvested with the combines “John Dir” and “Case” had the slightest reduce in sprout and root length in comparison with a hand threshing. The maximum reduction in the shoot length and root - seeds obtained by threshing the combine “Don 1500”. The seedlings of injured seeds are stunted in growth. To receive the seeds with good sowing traits it’s necessary to use modern machinery and to reduce a number of technological processes while a postharvest treatment of seeds.