GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF SORGHUM (SORGHUM-BICOLOR) HYBRIDS AFTER SEED STORAGE WITH SAFENERS AT VARYING HUMIDITIES

Laboratory and growth room experiments were conducted to determine eff ects of CGA-133205, oxabetrinil, and flurazole on grain sorghum hybrid s 'DeKalb 46' and 'DeKalb 48' after the seed were treated with the her bicide safeners and stored for up to 24 wk at various relative humidit y levels. Each safener treatment had an adverse effect on grain sorghu m seed as reflected by fewer normal seedlings at 4 d when averaged ove r storage time and relative humidity levels. Flurazole and oxabetrinil increased the number of ungerminated seed of both hybrids, and 0.4 an d 0.8 g ai kg-1 CGA-133205 increased ungerminated seed of DeKalb 46. A t greater-than-or-equal-to 8 wk after storage, a reduction in germinat ion was observed for seed treated with flurazole or oxabetrinil compar ed to seed stored without safener. This reduction also occurred with 0 .4 and 0.8 g kg-1 CGA-133205, but only at 24 wk after storage. Each sa fener treatment minimized reduction in seedling shoot fresh weight by herbicides compared to the no-safener check through 24 wk after storag e.