Seed and grain yield and quality of wheat subjected to advanced harvest using a physiological ripening process

This study aimed to evaluate the yield performance, physiological and nutritional quality of wheat seeds and grains subjected to times of application of a physiological ripening agent in pre-harvest. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design and the treatments were six times of application of the physiological process of ripening in three replications. The applications were carried out at the ealy milk stage, milk stage, early dough stage, soft dough stage, hard dough stage and a control with no application. Yield, nutritional characteristics and the physiological quality of the seeds were evaluated. Analysis of variance and the Skott Knott test were performed at 5% probability. Linear correlation coefficients between pairs of traits were calculated. The application of the physiological process of ripening from the soft dough stage did not affect wheat grain yield. Wheat seed germination was not impacted when the physiological process of ripening was applied from the hard dough stage. The use of the ripening agent reduced the vigor of wheat seeds, regardless of the time of application. The presence of protein in grains was not influenced by the application of the physiological ripening agent. Starch had the greatest expression when the physiological process of ripening was applied between the milk stage and the early dough stage.