Seed Moisture and Transplant Management Techniques Influence Sweet Corn Stand Establishment, Growth, Development, and Yield

A series of experiments exploring the effect of seed moisture and transplant management techniques was conducted with sh2 and su sweet corn (Zea mays L.). The use of seed and transplants in a progression of developmental stages from dry seed to moistened seed to 14-day-old transplants showed that moistened seed had no impact on plant 'growth and development. Use of transplants generally had little impact beyond decreasing percent survival and plant height. Increasing the age of transplants reduced the time to maturity and harvest. Increasing the size of the transplant container (paper pot) decreased the time to harvest for younger seedings, but had no other effects. Premoistened seed were successfully held at 10C for up to 72 hours without damage following moisturization. Delays in irrigation of up to 2 days after planting moistened seed had no detrimental There is general consensus that growers of fresh market sweet corn are interested in the earliest possible maturity for optimal prices. In any location, suboptimal soil and air temperatures limit the earliest possible planting time; consequently, much research has been conducted on seed handling techniques and transplanting systems to shorten the period from planting to harvest. One of the seed handling techniques employed has been man- ipulation of seed moisture before planting. Increasing the seed moisture content (via imbibition) before planting has been shown to improve earliness' and uniformity of emergence (Bennett and Waters, 1987a, 1987b), increase postemergent seedling weights (Gubbels, 1975), and decrease susceptibility to chilling injury (Cal and Obendorf, 1972) and mechanical damage (Gatongi, 1982).