Method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination

Claim 1

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening seeds from a dry state for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into at least the first phase of their pregermination cycle but without initiating the last phase of said cycle, b. applying an electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough, c. measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and d. separating the seeds into groups according to their measured values of electrical current as a measure of their viability wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts.

Claim 2

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening seeds from a dry state for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into at least the first phase of their pregermination cycle but without initiating the last phase of said cycle, b. applying an electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough, c. measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and d. separating the seeds into groups according to their measured values of electrical current as a measure of their viability wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts.

Claim 5

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening the seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from a dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying an electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and c. separating the seeds into groups according to viability as determined by a predetermined maximum value of measured electrical current wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measurEd values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts.

Claim 6

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening the seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from a dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying an electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and c. separating the seeds into groups according to viability as determined by a predetermined maximum value of measured electrical current wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measurEd values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts.

Claim 8

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening seeds from a dry state for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into at least the first phase of their pre-germination cycle but without initiating the last phase of said cycle, b. placing each of said seeds into an electrical measuring circuit and measuring the electrical current passing through each seed, c. separating the seeds into groups according to the measured values of electrical current as a measure of their viability wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, and d. drying the seeds at least in the group below a predetermined maximum value of measured electrical current to return them to dry storage conditions.

Claim 9

A method for determining the viability of seeds prior to germination comprising: a. moistening seeds from a dry state for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into at least the first phase of their pre-germination cycle but without initiating the last phase of said cycle, b. placing each of said seeds into an electrical measuring circuit and measuring the electrical current passing through each seed, c. separating the seeds into groups according to the measured values of electrical current as a measure of their viability wherein the viability decreases with the increase in the measured values of electrical current, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, and d. drying the seeds at least in the group below a predetermined maximum value of measured electrical current to return them to dry storage conditions.

Claim 12

A method for calibrating the viability of seeds comprising: a. moistening a selected group of seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, c. completing the germination cycle of each of said seeds for a predetermined period to produce a radicle on said seeds, d. measuring the lengths of each of said radicles, and e. correlating the radicle lengths with the measured values of electrical current for the corresponding seeds wherein the radicle lengths decrease with the increase in the measured values of electrical current.

Claim 13

A method for calibrating the viability of seeds comprising: a. moistening a selected group of seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, c. completing the germination cycle of each of said seeds for a predetermined period to produce a radicle on said seeds, d. measuring the lengths of each of said radicles, and e. correlating the radicle lengths with the measured values of electrical current for the corresponding seeds wherein the radicle lengths decrease with the increase in the measured values of electrical current.

Claim 14

A method for calibrating the viability of seeds comprising: a. moistening a selected group of seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, c. planting said seeds in soil for a predetermined period sufficient to permit at least some of the plants to emerge, d. measuring the plant heights, and e. correlating the soil emergence levels and plant heights with the measured values of electrical current for the corresponding seeds wherein the soil emergence levels and plant heights decrease with the increase in the measured values of electrical current.

Claim 15

A method for calibrating the viability of seeds comprising: a. moistening a selected group of seeds for a period of time at a temperature sufficient to cause the seeds to pass from the dry state into the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, b. while the seeds are in the first phase of their pre-germination cycle, applying electrical potential to each of said seeds to cause an electrical current to pass therethrough and measuring the electrical current passing through each of said seeds, and wherein the maximum measured values of electrical current in the steady state do not exceed about 40 microamperes at an applied potential of 1.5 volts, c. planting said seeds in soil for a predetermined period sufficient to permit at least some of the plants to emerge, d. measuring the plant heights, and e. correlating the soil emergence levels and plant heights with the measured values of electrical current for the corresponding seeds wherein the soil emergence levels and plant heights decrease with the increase in the measured values of electrical current.