Wheat growers dealing with wet fields and sprouted wheat may be wondering if they can use sprouted wheat seed for next year's crop.

The answer is "sometimes," according to Kansas State University agronomy professor Jim Shroyer.

A K-State study showed that seed with a split seed coat can germinate – even after storage, but seed showing visible plant parts should not be used. In all cases, it's best to conduct a germination test, said Shroyer, who is a crop production specialist with K-State Research and Extension.

In the study, samples of four wheat varieties were collected and separated into three sprouting levels (low or no sprouting, moderate, and severe) based on visual ratings, test weight and a chemical analysis that helps indicate the level of sprouting. The objectives were to determine if sprouted seed could be used for the upcoming fall planting and if the sprouted seed was stored for 27 months, would it still be usable for seed, Shroyer said.

The study had two major parts. The first was to determine germination levels and the second to determine greenhouse and field emergence rates of the three different seed sprouting levels.

Four key findings came from the study:

* Grain with a split seed coat over the germ can still be used for seed wheat, but a germination test about a month after wheat harvest will help determine its viability.

* Grain with a split seed coat over the germ can be stored for a considerable time and still be viable, but again, a germination test is recommended.

* Test weight is not a good indicator of germination ability, because lower test weights can be caused by a number of factors that don't affect germination.

* Don't use seed that has sprouted to the point that it has visible plant parts. The parts can break off during handling and cause spoilage during storage, rendering it useless as seed wheat.

Two germination tests were conducted, Shroyer explained. The samples were tested after harvest by pre-chilling the seed at 41degrees F for five days and incubating it on moistened heavy paper at 59 degrees F for seven days. Also, an accelerated aging germination test was conducted, which subjected the seed to high temperatures (104 degrees
F) for 72 hours before pre-chilling and incubating.

Greenhouse emergence was determined by placing seeds at four planting depths (1.5, 2.5, 3.75, and 5.0 inches) in sand. After the seed samples were stored for 27 months at room temperature, seeds were planted at a depth of 1.5 inches on a Geary silty clay loam soil.

In the first part of the study it was found that germination for all three sprouting levels that were pre-chilled was high after harvest ranging from an acceptable 86 to 96 percent. Generally, accelerated aging reduced germination by about 20 percentage points with the moderate and severe sprouting seedlots, the agronomist said.

The second part of the study found that emergence of the severely sprouted wheat planted at 1.5 and 2.5 inches was significantly lower than the less sprouted wheat. Emergence rates for the deeper plantings (3.75 and 5.0 inches) were considerably lower, but coleoptile length of the different varieties may have confounded the results. And after storage for 27 months, the severely sprouted seed averaged 59 percent emergence while the low-sprouted seed had 68 percent emergence.

Details about the research can be found in the K-State Research and Extension publication: Keeping Up With Research 115 article, "Planting wheat seed damaged by sprouting before harvest" at county Extension offices or on the Web at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu; click on "Publications" in the lower left corner; and type in SRL115.

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan.