ABSTRACT
Little attention has been paid to the effect of ear and grain wetting rates on pre-harvest sprouting of wheat. Water infiltration rates into mature grain of wheat do differ between cultivars. This chapter discusses the relationship between rainfall, ear and grain wetting and germination and explores the nature of physiological and morphological controls over ear wetting and sprouting. The spread of cultivar ear wetting rates points to adequate genotypic differences for selection by plant breeders. Stage of Ear Development Fresh tissue absorbs little water but as the ear and grain dehydrates at maturity there is a three—to five-fold increase in ear wetting. Considering ear wetting, alone, other factors of importance might include upright ears and ears which take a prolonged period to dry down at maturity. Computer modelling may be required to define the complex relationships between rainfall input, the rates of ear wetting and the rate of germination.
