The use of U.V. radiation to help rescue fungal infected seed

--Walton C. Galinat

The installation of an ultra-violet radiation tube in my seed germinator has been helpful in obtaining plants from slightly moldy seed. The seed is placed on wet filter paper in an uncovered glass petri dish and exposed to U.V. radiation for two days or until there are signs of embryo growth. At that point the U.V. radiation is turned off, or the glass cover is put on the petri dish. The sprouted seed is potted up and eventually transplanted to the field. Thus, seed which normally would have died from fungal infection is rescued. Exposure of the sprouted seed to the U.V. radiation is lethal. The removal of a pathogen from an inbred line may improve it with a vigor jump.

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