Studies upon the Absorption and Germination of Wheat ...

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume 26 Annual Issue Article 34

1919

Studies upon the Absorption and Germination of Wheat Treated Studies upon the Absorption and Germination of Wheat Treated

with Formaldehyde with Formaldehyde

A. L. Bakke Iowa State College

H. H. Plagge Iowa State College

Copyright ©1919 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Bakke, A. L. and Plagge, H. H. (1919) "Studies upon the Absorption and Germination of Wheat Treated with Formaldehyde," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 26(1), 365-375. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol26/iss1/34

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STUDIES UPON THE ABSORPTION AND GERMINATIONOF WHEAT TREATED WITH FORMALDEHYDE.

A. L. BAKKE AND H. H. PLAGGE.

Treating wheat with formaldehyde to prevent the covered orstinking smut of wheat is a general practice wherever wheat is

grown. Henderson,1 Burmester2, Johnson3 and Brittlebank4 havesubmitted results of germination tests where wheat has been soakedfor varying periods, with the purpose of obtaining safe limits wherethe fungus is killed, while the seed is left intact. Naturally this isthe important conception from the practical standpoint. But admitting this to be the case there are still many fundamental propositions which are still open for solution and of equal import to thepractical phases of grain treating to prevent smut and problems ofimbibition and of germination.

While the authors were connected with the office of Cereal Investigations* of the U. S. Department of Agriculture they assisted incarrying on a campaign to prevent smut. This campaign consistedlargely in giving demonstrations and discussions on smut and the

means of prevention. Two outstanding propositions encounteredwere (1) the time for maximum absorption to take place, (2) thetime in which seed can be kept in contact with formaldehyde andstill give the highest per cent germination. In practically all caseswheat growers are advised to operate within the limits of safetybut they are nevertheless desirous of knowing where the limits are.These facts then in themselves led the writers to submit the problems as suggested to a series of experiments, the results of whichare given in this paper.

'Henderson, F. L., Experiments with wheat and oats for smut. IdahoAgri. Ezp. Sta. Bui. 83. 1906.'Burmester, H., Verglelchende Utersuchungen ueber den Elnfluss der

verschiednen Samenhelzmethoden auf die pllztotende Wlrkung. ZltschrPflanzenkrank. 18i 154-187, 1908.'Johnson, J. C., Influence of "pickling" on the germination of cereals.Jour. Bd. Agr. (London) 2Oi 120-124, 1913.'Brittlebank, C. C., The effect of formalin and copper sulphate on thegermination of wheat. Jour. Dept. Agr. Victoria Hi 473-76, 2 figs. 1913.•This work was under the Immediate charge of Dr. G. M. Reed, then of

the University of Missouri, but now with the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture,Office of Cereal Investigations.

1

Bakke and Plagge: Studies upon the Absorption and Germination of Wheat Treated with

Published by UNI ScholarWorks, 1919

366 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE VOL. XXVI, 1919

In this study the purpose was to use a solution of formalin* suchas is given to farmers and to use methods comparable so that

comparisons could be more easily made. The method used through-

II

10

-WATER--FORMALDEHYDE

TIMC IN MINUTES

Fig. 96. Comparative difference In the absorption for wheat placed In aformalin solution and In distilled water for periods varying from five tothirty minutes.

out consisted in counting out 100 seeds of a uniform size, placingthese in weighed, glass stoppered weighing bottles after which the

weight of the seed was determined and finally the seed was againweighed after it had been subjected to the formaldehyde for a cer-

•The directions for treating wheat to prevent smut as given by Dr. G.M. Reed are as follows:The solution used for treating stinking smut of wheat Is made byusing one pint or one pound of commercial formalin (guaranteed 40 percent solution of formaldehyde) to forty gallons of water. One gallon ofsolution is sufficient to treat one bushel of grain. 1 Dipping—take two halfbarrels or tubs with holes and plugs near bottom. Place one tub on twosaw horses and nil two-thirds full with the solution of formaldehyde. Pourslowly Into this solution one-half to one bushel of wheat seed, stlrrinfrthoroughly for five to ten minutes so that the smut balls, trash, etc., willreach the surface. Skim this material off and drain this solution Into thesecond tub. Pour the seed Into a pile on the floor, exchange positions oftubs and repeat the operation. Cover the treated seed with sacks for fourto ten hours.. Sow at once or spread the seed out to dry. 2

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 26 [1919], No. 1, Art. 34


WHEAT TREATED WITH FORMALDEHYDE 367

tain prescribed time. The seed was submerged into the formalinsolution (1-320) for nine minutes ; one minute was taken to pour offthe solution. The grains were dried immediately by means of slipsof filter paper, after the seeds had been placed in a 50 cc. porcelaincrucible. When the seeds were sufficiently dry, so as not to adhereto sides of the crucible, they were returned to the weighing bottleand weighed. In all cases the bottle was rotated so as to be surethat none of the seeds would adhere. If they did they were driedfurther before being weighed. The germination was tested by theusual plate method, petri dishes being employed.

COMPARATIVE ABSORPTION

In the tests for comparative absorption 100 seeds were countedout, weighed, dried and again weighed as given above. In all casesthe absorption for seeds placed in the formalin solution was compared directly with the absorption taking place in water ; one set washandled by each of the writers. Five determinations of each weremade. The data obtained are given in table I.

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From an examination of the data and of the graph, figure 96, itis apparent that the absorption by wheat placed in a formalin solu

tion and in water does not vary materially during a period of thirtyminutes. At the end of ten minutes greater absorption is present inthe seed placed in the formaldehyde but a revisal is present at the

end of fifteen minutes as seed in distilled water increases in weightto a greater extent. However, after fifteen minutes imbibition is

approximately the same.

The second part of this series of investigations was confined toa study of the time of exposure to formaldehyde necessary to cause

a fall in the percentage of germination. The general plan then isthe same as has been previously set forth. The seeds were retainedin the glass stoppered containers after the formalin solution had

been poured off for varying periods from one to thirty-six hours,when they were weighed. The data are given in table II.

TABLE II.

DATA GIVING PERCENTAGE OF ABSORPTION AND GERMINATION FOR WHEAT SUBJECTED TO FORMALDEHYDE FOR VARYING PERIODS FROM ONE TO THIRTY-SIX HOURS.

Period ofcoveringNo. hours

Weight of100 seeds(grams)

Increasein weight(grams)

Increasein weight(per cent)

No. ofbottle

Germinationin per cent

1

1

115110

2.34732.5556

.4585

.463119.5318.12

9798

1 Average 2.4514 .4608 18.83 97.50

22

113111

2.44322.4100

.5680

.570823.2423.68

9795

2 Average 2.4266 .5694 23.46 96

33

114109

2.43292.5014

.6143

.658825.2426.33

9597

3 Average 2.4671 .6365 25.79 96

4 108102

2.53942.6215

.7478

.483529.4418.44

97914

4 Average 2.5805 .6157 23.94 94

55

107106

2.59352.6563

.7940

.833130.6131.36

9495

5 Average 2.6249 .8136 30.99 9450 6




TARLE No. II—Continued


Weight of100 seeds

(grams)



No. of Germinationin per centbottle

68

103105

2.38352.5668 .

.7981

.826133.4832.18

9293

6 Average 2.4752 .8121 32.83 92.50

77

112104

2.36822.5474

.6207

.995426.2039.07

9595

7 Average 2.4578 .8081 32.64 95

8 101117

2.50092.5234

.8798•.8360

35.1733.12

93958

8 Average 2.5122 .8579 34.15 94

99

118116

2.52342.5692

.8360

.720436.7528.03

9596

9 Average 2.5463 .7782 32.39 95.5

1010

56

2.23412.5270

.6121

.848326.2233.56

9594

10 Average 2.3806 .7302 29.89 94.5

11 162

2.48432.6077

.93691.0726

37.7141.13

959311

11 Average 2.5460 1.0048 39.42 94

12

12

894

2.44002.3856

.8681

.997135.5741.79

9590

12 Average 2.4128 .9326 38.68 92.5 .

1313

513

2.52892.5600

.7913

.845631.2933.03

9595

13 Average 2.5446 .8185 32.16 95

1414

419

2.62222.4553

.98381.0592

39.8043.13

9488

14 Average 2.5388 1.0215 41.47 91

1515

1720

2.36252.4310

.8029

.863533.9835.52

9594

15 Average 2.3968 .8332 34.75 94.50

1616

9293

2.44042.5197

.7557

.717030.9628.45

9593

16 Average 2.4801 .7364 29.72 94

7







Increasein weight(grains)


No. ofbottle

Germinationin per cent

1717

1893

2.53882.5026

1.0640.8842

41.9535.33

9094

17 Average 2.5207 .9741 38.64 92

1818

2717

2.54682.4357

.68071.0331

26.7242.41

9591

18 Average 2.4913 .8569 34.57 93

19 3116

2.46982.5107

.7985

.736432.3329.33

939519

19 Average 2.4903 .7675 30.83 94

2020

3633

2.50782.4919

1.0095.6941

40.2527.76

9393

20 Average 2.4999 .8518 34.01 93

2121

3 2.54742.5186

.9075 35.6232.74

95%7 .8248

21 Average 2.5330 .8662 34.18 95.50

2222

911

2.56152.4949

.74201.0031

28.9640.20

9693

22 Average 2.5282 .8726 34.58 94.5

2323

35 2.57402.5182

.9115

.530435.4121.06

94917

23 Average 2.5461 .7210 28.24 92.5

2424

510

2.54412.5438

.8386

.731232.9628.74

92

92

24 Average 2.5440 .7849 30.85 92

2525

1021

2.41752.3756

.7962

.735232.9330.94

9392

25 Average 2.3966 .7657 31.94 92.50

2626

4712

2.61362.5559

.8485

.669632.4626.19

9596

26 Average 2.5848 .7591 29.33 95.50

2727

2137

2.51042.5610

.7857

.820231.2932.02

9087

27 Average 2.5357 .8030 31.66 88.50

8









No. of terminationin per centbottle

2828

3927

2.43542.5680

.7926

.972532.5437.86

9394

28 Average 2.5017 .8826 35.20 93.50

2929

2014

2.50082.4822

.8275

.802733.0832.33

91

89

29 Average 2.4915 .8151 32.71 90

3030

2829

2.39972.5760

1.0605.9780

44.1837.96

8387

30 Average 2.4879 1.0193 41.07 85

3131

1430

2.58312.5459

.6001 23.2334.89

9394.8884

31 Average 2.5645 .7443 29.06 93.5

3232

6 2.50142.5130

.9063

.858836.2334.17

888614

32 Average 2.5072 .8826 35.20 87

3333

416

2.37072.3482

.6947

.640629.3027.27

8887

33 Average 2.3595 .6677 28.29 87.50

3434

2419

2.50432.4343

1.1810.7861

47.1532.29

7586

34 Average 2.4693 .9836 39.72 80.5

3535

219

2.53242.3512

.7485

.828729.5535.24

8877

35 Average 2.4418 .7886 32.40 83

3636

265

2.53622.4577

1.0178.8541

40.1334.75

8384

36 Average 2.4970 .9360 37.44 83.50

9




By examining the data and the graph, figure 97, it is plainlydiscernible that absorption is the most rapid at the beginning,

being 18.83 per cent at the end of the first hour; from that pointthere is a gradual increase until the maximum, 41.47 per cent at

the fourteenth hour is attained. At no subsequent period is thereas high a percentage registered.As far as the percentage germination is concerned there is norecognized drop until after the seeds have been exposed to formal-

I

GERMINATION

\/ \

Fio. 97.—Diagram showing absorption and germination of wheat.

dehyde for a period of twenty-six hours. Although at the thirty-first hour the percentage germination rises again and is higher thanfor some of the earlier periods, yet it does not attain a percentageas high as has been delineated. However, there is a decided dropfrom the thirty-first hour. At the end of thirty-six hours the percentage of germination is only 83.5. It is regrettable that the serieswas not carried on further. Even though this feature of the experi10




ment was not planned for at the time the experiment was started,the results show that an extension of time would give a graphsimilar to the temperature curve of Lehenbauer5 for corn and thelife phase curve of Buchanan6 for a bacterial culture. But as thisis beyond the scope and province of the present studies it is advisable to postpone the submission of possible reactions until definitedata have been obtained.

From the results presented in this paper it is evident :1. That the absorption in the case of wheat seed placed in contact with foraldehyde in the usual concentration for treating seedto prevent smut is not materially different from wheat seed placedin water for the same period of time.2. Wheat seed soaked in a formalin solution for ten minutesand kept enclosed for varying periods from one to thirty-six hoursdoes not show any impaired germination until after twenty-sixhours.

•Lehenbauer, P. A., Growth of maize seedlings in relation to temperature:Physlol. Researches li 247-288, 1914.'Buchanan, R. E., Life phases in a. bacterial culture : Jour. Infect IMp

23: 3-19, 1918.

IOWA STATE COLLEGE,AMES, IOWA.

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