BACKGROUND AND AIMS Seed quality may be compromised if seeds are harvested before natural dispersal (shedding). It has been shown previously that slow or delayed drying can increase potential quality compared with immediate rapid drying. This study set out to investigate whether or not there is a critical moisture content, below which drying terminates maturation events for seeds harvested afte...

Abstract: The analysis of longevity can support decisions about the length seed lot storage until commercialization, since this characteristic implies maintenance viability over time. Seed is analyzed by p50 test, which expresses time to lose 50% initial viability. Seeds with high vigor and germination have greater physiological potential and, thus, a capacity maintain quality throughout period...

Models of social conflict in animal societies generally assume that within-group conflict reduces the value of a communal resource. For many animals, however, the primary cost of conflict is increased mortality. We develop a simple inclusive fitness model of social conflict that takes this cost into account. We show that longevity substantially reduces the level of within-group conflict, which ...

Seed germination strongly affects plant population growth and persistence, and it can be dramatically influenced by phylogeny, seed traits, and ecological factors. In this study, we examined the relationships among seed mass, seed shape, and germination percentage (GP), and assessed the extent to which phylogeny, seed traits (seed mass, shape, and color) and ecological factors (ecotype, life fo...

Abstract Understanding seed moisture desorption and adsorption isotherms is important for quality maintenance better predicting storage lifespan. Freshly harvested oilseed rape barley seeds were dried then rehydrated twice. Seed equilibrium relative humidity (eRH) content (MC) determined at different levels so that two cycles of could be constructed. In addition, to 30% RH 50% five determine wh...

The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata F. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is widely used as a pollinator for production of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., seed, and populations of these bees can be maintained by alfalfa seed growers or can be purchased from mostly Canadian bee providers. M. rotundata raised in Canada have higher survival rates during the incubation that occurs after winter ...