Abstract
The rice kernels from districts damaged by the violent winds of 1937 included a number of discolored and deformed specimcns. In this paper, the results of investigations of such kernels, chiefly their germinating power and the effects of sterilization on it are described. (1) The greater the general damage to the plant, the larger the quantity of discolored and deformed kernels found (Table l; Fig.1, 2) These were chifly caused by chlorophyll transformation from mechanical and physiological failures in the plant as the result of the violent wind, and probably also by propagation of fungi and their secretory substances. Abnormality in nutrition and development was possible, resulting in deformation of the kernels. (2) The percentage of germination did not vary markedly in the kernels with differences in the degree of damage suffered, but the kernels that were badly injured required a longer time for germination than the uninjured kernels (Table 2). The fact that seedlings from damaged kernels became tainted sooner after germination must be attributed to the fungi that were adhering to the grains. (3) After preliminary sterilization, there appeared no more tainted seedlings or grains, but in severely damaged kernels the emergence of radicles was hindered (Fig.3).
