relationship between protein and vigor?

[Ron]

Is there a relationship between high protein and vigor? I would assume? the higher protein would indicate more energy and a more vigorous seedling?
looking at the protein premium for my RS and thinking about cleaning for seed?
thanks

[seedsman]

This should really be answered by moderator Trevor, the seed lab guy.

I think it is the starch, and not the protein, that gives the seed energy. If your theory was correct, then HRS wheat at 15% protien should have more vigour than SWS wheat with 20% protein.

In general, the least adversity the seed faced during the latest stages of maturity and through the harvest period, the less problems the seed should have germinating and then emerging into a healthy plant.

[seedsman]

Sorry for the typo. That should be SWS wheat at 10% protein.

[brian99]

I've never seen any studies on it, but from experience, many factors affect vigour, including disease pressure in the crop stand, seed storage conditions(especially temperature),kernel plumpness and uniformity being some of the bigger ones. I don't think protien is a major factor, but I could be wrong. There is (finally) a test for vigour, seperate from a germ test. It has been slow in coming because initial vigour doesn't necessarily translate into yield, field conditions during the growing season being far more important. Hope that helps.

[biovision]

Happy Holidays to everyone!

There have been, and continues to be, many
studies on seed and seedling vigor as you are all
aware. There has been some done in the early 70's
in the US that suggested that total protein content
of wheat correlated to seed vigour. In the end, we
do not see a direct correlation to any one single
factor. If a single factor is severe enough to have a
pronounced effect on seed vigour then it will
generally show up in the germination test (i.e. frost
damage). Vigour tests are very useful as specific
tests for specific quality traits (i.e. electrical
conductivity for membrane integrity) or as
predictors for seed quality stability (i.e. seed with
lower vigour will end up with lower germination) or
the most common indicator of performance under
stress.

What we do see is what Brian99 said, that seed
vigour is influenced by multiple factors. It would be
easy if we could assign a value to all of the factors
(i.e. seed size, germination, disease level,etc.) and
use a formula to calculate seed vigour. The reality
is that all of these factors have a different effect on
seed vigor depending on what other factors are
present. Think of it this way, disease levels will
have a different effect on seed vigour depending on
what the moisture of the seed is.

Long answer to your short question, don't assume
that higher protein means higher vigour.
Completely dead seed can still have high protein.
Send your sample in to a lab and have it tested.
This way you are basing your decision off real data.

Hope that helps!

[Ron]

wow, thanks for the response. Sometimes this section is dead for weeks. I am looking at cleaning some seed for spring and wondering which bin to send a sample from, sounds like I will send each as the difference in $$$ from CWB isnt much (not trying to start a CWB bitch session here though).