APPLICATION OF THE SINGLE KERNEL WHEAT CHARACTERIZATION TECHNOLOGY TOSORGHUM GRAIN

A single kernel wheat characterization system (SKWCS) was recently dev eloped by the USDA, ARS Grain Marketing Research Laboratory and is cur rently being marketed by Perten Instruments North America, Inc. This d evice has been shown to accurately measure individual seed hardness, m oisture, and size of wheat. The objective of this study was to determi ne if the SKWCS technology could be applied to the measurement of sorg hum grain. Grains from 64 sorghum plots gown at Mead, NE in 1992 were characterized using a prototype SKWCS at the USDA, ARS Grain Marketing Research Laboratory. Problems encountered were primarily associated w ith the single kernel feeder mechanism. Occasionally, two sorghum seed s were fed to the crushing device instead of a single kernel. These do uble sampling events were easily detected by examination of the size d ata, and software limits could be set to exclude such double sampling events from the data set. If broken seeds were not removed prior to me asurement of the grain, errors in hardness and size values also occurr ed. These errors could usually be detected by examination cf the data, and eliminated by adjustment of software limits. Inspection and hand cleaning of samples is highly recommended prior to characterization. B ased on our results, SKWCS technology can be successfully applied to s orghum seed.