Wettability and Water Uptake Improvement in Plasma-Treated Alfalfa Seeds

The cultivation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a forage crop grown worldwide, is negatively affected by hard seed presence. We show that treatment of alfalfa seeds with an inductively coupled radio frequency oxygen plasma improves their surface hydrophilicity, as determined by water contact angle (WCA) measurements and water uptake. Furthermore, we see that these effects are mediated by functionalization and etching of the alfalfa seed surface. Surface chemistry is analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while morphology is viewed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Plasma produces effective alfalfa seed hydrophilization with a variety of treatment parameters. With its potential for fine-tuning, plasma modification of seed wettability shows promise for introduction into agricultural practice.

Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide Pretreatment on Physiological and Biochemical Variables during Germination of Alfalfa Seeds

Background: Hydrogen peroxide is reactive oxygen species that plays role in plant response to biotic and abiotic stress. The pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide can confer an adaptive capacity for the plants in unpredictable environments. The alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the legume more utilized in animal feeding in the world. Moreover, the alfalfa sprouts are known for the phytochemicals that promote health with antioxidant properties. Methods: This work aimed to determine the effect of hydrogen peroxide in the pretreatment process of alfalfa seeds on variables as total germination, speed of germination, activity and antioxidant enzymes. The alfalfa seeds were soaked for 12 h in the next treatments 0, 98, 294, 490, 784, 980 mM of hydrogen peroxide. Result: The results showed that total germination was higher with the hydrogen peroxide than with water except 980 mM. The results of the present research indicated that hydrogen peroxide had physiological and biochemical effects on the germination processes of alfalfa.

Non-Destructive Identification of Naturally Aged Alfalfa Seeds via Multispectral Imaging Analysis

Seed aging detection and viable seed prediction are of great significance in alfalfa seed production, but traditional methods are disposable and destructive. Therefore, the establishment of a rapid and non-destructive seed screening method is necessary in seed industry and research. In this study, we used multispectral imaging technology to collect morphological features and spectral traits of aging alfalfa seeds with different storage years. Then, we employed five multivariate analysis methods, i.e., principal component analysis (PCA), linear discrimination analysis (LDA), support vector machines (SVM), random forest (RF) and normalized canonical discriminant analysis (nCDA) to predict aged and viable seeds. The results revealed that the mean light reflectance was significantly different at 450~690 nm between non-aged and aged seeds. LDA model held high accuracy (99.8~100.0%) in distinguishing aged seeds from non-aged seeds, higher than those of SVM (87.4~99.3%) and RF (84.6~99.3%). Furthermore, dead seeds could be distinguished from the aged seeds, with accuracies of 69.7%, 72.0% and 97.6% in RF, SVM and LDA, respectively. The accuracy of nCDA in predicting the germination of aged seeds ranged from 75.0% to 100.0%. In summary, we described a nondestructive, rapid and high-throughput approach to screen aged seeds with various viabilities in alfalfa.

Influence of Priming with Exogenous Selenium on Seed Vigour of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Background: Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element to higher plants, animals and humans, but low Se levels are a global public health concern. Seed priming has become a basic strategy for the production of Se-riched agricultural products, but its application is still not clear in the production of Se-enrich alfalfa, hence this study was conducted for the production of Se-enriched alfalfa by seed priming with different concentrations and time on seed vigour. Methods: Seeds were primed with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 mmol L-1 of sodium selenite solution for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h at 20°C and their germination percentage, germination index, seedling vigour index and mean germination time were analyzed. Result: Seed vigour of alfalfa was improved by priming with low selenium (Se) concentration (0.5 and 1.0 mmol L-1), but was inhibited by high Se concentration ( greater than 2.0 mmol L-1). Hence, it must be necessary to carefully select appropriate concentration and time for the application of Se priming in alfalfa seeds. The optimal manner of Se priming in alfalfa seeds might be at 1.0 mmol L-1 concentration for 9 h.

THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT PURITY OF NATURAL ALFALFA SEEDS ON THE PROCESSING EFFICIENCY

This paper presents the results of the seed processing of ten lots of natural alfalfa seed with different purity (from 68.0% to 86.5%). The test was carried out at the seed processing center of the Institute for forage crops Kruševac-Serbia. Seed losses, processing output, seed yield and quality of the processed seed were investigated. It is important that the difference between the amounts of pure seed from laboratory assessment and the actual amount after processing, are low. The purity of natural alfalfa seed depends on the crop condition and the harvest process. In the seed processing of small-grained leguminous plants, the processing output of seed is directly dependent on the percentage of weed species and other species in the natural seed. Seeds of quarantine weeds of dodder and curly dock are a particularly big problem in alfalfa seeds. In the case of high-purity seeds with low quarantine weeds share, processing output are high. By the legal procedure on the seed quality, the content of pure seed, inert materials, weeds and other species in the processed seeds is defined. The efficiency of the alfalfa seed processing depends on the initial purity of the seed, as well as the applied technical and technological process of seed processing. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to optimally adjust and select the appropriate equipment for the processing of alfalfa seed, depending on the quantity and type of weeds and other ingredients in the natural alfalfa seeds.

Effect of the Sowing Method and Mineral Fertilizers on the Indicators of the Crop Yield Structure of Seed Alfalfa in the Ganja-Gazakh Zone of Azerbaijan

The article presents the results of research on the influence of the method of sowing and mineral fertilizers on the indicators of the structure of the yield of seed alfalfa in the Ganja-Gazakh zone of Azerbaijan. It has been established that the method of sowing and mineral fertilization has a positive effect on the indicators of the structure of the yield of seed alfalfa. For each method of sowing and mineral fertilization, alfalfa seeds had a positive effect on the indicators of the yield structure. To obtain irrigated gray-brown soils of high and stable yields of alfalfa seeds, it is necessary to form the density of the herbage of seed crops of 33.8–53.0 productive stems per 1 m of sowing methods 45 cm and the dose of mineral fertilizers N60P90K60 kg/ha active substance in the conditions of the Ganja-Gazakh zone Azerbaijan.

The influence of impurities in natural seeds of alfalfa and red clover on the seed cleaning process

The paper presents the results of the cleaning process of five different lots of natural alfalfa seeds and five different lots of natural red clover seeds. Natural alfalfa and red clover seeds had 75 % to 77 % purity. The experiment was performed in the seed processing center of the Institute for Forage Crops Kruševac. Seed cleaning is performed on different machines that work on the principle of differences in the physical properties of seeds. Significant parameters that define the quality of seeds after processing on the cleaning equipment are the amount of pure seed, weed seed, the seed of other crops, inert matter, amount of pure processed seed, seed losses and processing output. The obtained results enable the correct adjustment of the equipment for the seed processing, depending on the amount and type of weeds and other impurities found in the natural seed of alfalfa and red clover.