The seeds undergo a chemical treatment, exclusive to Matsuda, which uses sulfuric acid. In this process, the glumes and lemmas are removed from the seeds (seed coats). The purpose of the treatment is to aid the absorption of oxygen and water by the seeds, as well as to reduce their dormancy.
The chemical scarification treatment is also efficient in phytosanitary treatment. It helps eliminate nematodes, fungal sclerotia, insect eggs, and even some seeds of invasive plants. Some importing countries require this treatment on forage seeds due to the history of foot-and-mouth disease in Brazil.
Another advantage of this treatment is the elimination of seeds with low vigor. In the process, seeds that have not completed physiological maturity ("half seeds" or "half kernels"), which are considered pure seeds in common lots, and also "empty" seeds, are eliminated.
For example, on average, a batch of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu may have about 10% of seeds with low vigor, which can be more representative depending on the batch and variety, and are eliminated in this scarification process.
Beneficts
- High purity
- Increased vigor
- Higher germination rate
- More uniform germination
- Reduced dormancy
- Improved resistance against fungi and insects
- Free from nematodes Meloidogyne incognita, Heterodera glycine, and Pratylenchus brachyurus