Field Emergence Test in Relation to Laboratory Seed Quality Tests of Sweet Corn Seed

Abstract

High quality seeds of sweet corn will lead to high productivity. The quality of seeds can be known through germination testing. The field emergence test is one of seed quality testing with approach to a new method of quality testing in the field. The aims to study seed testing with the approach of field emergence method and finds out its relationship with the germination and vigor tests. This research used randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven replications on each variety. Field emergence test was carried out by observing the number of open leaves and plant height while laboratory seed quality tests were assessed using standard germination test and accelerated ageing (AA) vigor test. The result showed that the field emergence test observed at 14 days after planting (DAP) gave a clear distinction of normal and abnormal plants, with a criteria normal plant had a criterion 3-4 open leaves and 16.9 ± 2.9 cm in plant height while abnormal had less than 3 leaves and short plant height. Field emergence percentage was calculated by the number of normal plants. There was a correlation at each time of observation of field emergence with germination and vigor tests result.