Purpose and objectives. To evaluate the effect of sorting seeds by size on their quality indicators: germination energy, laboratory germinability and 1000-grain weight. Materials and methods. The experiments were carried out in the experimental field of the Plant Production Institute named after V.Ya. Yuriev of NAAS in accordance with the field experimentation method in 2016–2018; 26 winter bread wheat lines and varieties were studied. The varieties and lines were grown in variety trial experiments; the plot area was 10 m2. Seeds were separated on sieves of a laboratory separator RLU-3; the 1000-grain weight was measured; the laboratory germinability and germination energy were determined. Results and discussion. When winter bread wheat seeds are sorted on sieves, they are separated into fractions with various 1000-grain weights. The separated fractions of winter wheat seeds have different sowing qualities. The 2.5 x 20 mm seeds and 2.8 x 20 mm seeds are of the best quality (germination energy, germinability). It was found that in 2016–2018, the germination energy, laboratory germinability and 1000-gain weight changed depending on the growing conditions. They were the highest in 2017. The varieties with a high 1000-grain weight have been identified: Doskonala, Pryvablyva, Smuhlianka, and Haiok. The highest germination energy and germinability were intrinsic to varieties Yednist, Harmonika and Bunchuk. Yednist (93.3%), Harmonika (94.3%), Metelytsia Kharkivska (94.5%), Bunchuk (94.7%), Alians (93.3%), Podolianka (92.5%), Patriotka (93.6%), Zapashna (93.3%), Dyvo (93.7%), Doskonala (93.6%), Krasa Laniv (94.0%), Smuhlianka (93.1%), and Erythrospermum 408-13 (93.7%) had a high germinability of small seeds (2.2 x 20 mm). To clean these varieties, especially in years with low seed yields, it is recommended to use seeds of the standard size (2.2–2.5 x 20 mm). Conclusions. The relationships between the grain size and sowing qualities of seeds have been established. Separation of seeds is an effective technological method allowing for selection of top-quality seeds

Aim. The aim of this work was to determine the longevity of durum wheat seeds according to the results of seed germination monitoring after seed storage for up to 19 years under controlled conditions in the National Plant Gene Bank of Ukraine. Results and Discussion. 36 accessions of spring durum wheat were investigated. These accessions belonged to var. hordeiforme, var. leucurum, var. melanopus, var. alexandrinum, var. apulicum, var. australe from seven countries; seven samples of durum winter wheat belonged to var. hordeiforme, var. leucurum were from Ukraine. Accessions were received by the Ukrainian genebank from seven countries: Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, France, Portugal, Kazakhstan and Tunisia. Seed accessions for storage were grown mainly in the eastern forest-steppe of Ukraine, stored in the National depositary in this region at unregulated temperature and at 4°C with seed moisture content of 5.5-8.0%. The mode of seed drying, which took place at temperature not higher than 25°C is discussed. The obtained results indicate high seed longevity of durum wheat under these conditions with initial seed germination rate more than 90% even in a storage facility at unregulated temperature. There were no differences in seed longevity between varieties of durum wheat under the studied storage conditions. Conclusions. Seeds of durum wheat remain unchanged for at least 10 years with a high initial germination of seeds, storage in sealed containers with moisture content 5.5-8.0% even at unregulated temperature of the eastern forest-steppe of Ukraine. Durum wheat seeds should be storage at temperature 4°C to increase seed longevity at seed moisture 5.5-8.0%.

Viability of rice (Orysa sativa L.) seeds accessions: subsp. japonica: var. italica, var. nigro-apiculata, var. subvulgaris; subsp. indica, var. mutica and var. fortuna was analised. The seed accessions were grown in the southern steppe of Ukraine and then stored at 4°C and −20°C. According to the research results, it is established that rice seeds in favorable cultivation years are able to maintain the original germination without significant changes for 10 years and longer with 6-8% moisture content even at 4°C storage temperature. There were no differences of rice seeds longevity of the same accessions stored at 4°C and −20°C. Differences of rice seed longevity of subsp. japonica and subsp. indica are discussed.

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Seed longevity of 76 spring barley gene pool samples (Hordeum vulgare L. subsp. distichon, convar. distichon: 56 nutans Schubl., two deficience (Steud.) Koern., two erectum Rode ex Shuebl., two medicum Koern.; convar. nudum (L.) A.Trof.: one nudum L. та subsp. vulgare: convar. vulgare: nine pallidum Ser., three rikotense Regel.; convar. coeleste (L.) A.Trof.: one coeleste (L.) A.Trof.) from 26 countries, 11 years and four places of reproduction was analyzed. Seeds with 5–8% moisture content were stored in chamber with unregulated and 4oC temperature. The possibility of seed storage under these conditions for at least 10 years without significant changes in germination has been established. The importance of meteorological conditions in the formation and ripening of seeds for their longevity is confirmed. The relationship between the decrease of barley seeds longevity and storage conditions, amount of rainfall, temperature regime during the growing season of plants is discussed.