A study was conducted during 1994/95 in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil to evaluate the effects of mechanical
harvesting, seed processing and storage conditions on the field performance of maize cv. Ag1222. The treatments
comprised two mechanical harvesting procedures (picker and combined), two storage conditions (cold chamber and
conventional storage) and four kernel types (rounded, median flat and long flat). Data were recorded for initial stand,
days to female flowering, plant height, stem diameter, productive ability, number of normal plants, number of barren
plants, number of lodged plants, and weights of ear and grain. Seeds from ears harvested by the picker exhibited a better
field performance than those harvested by combined method. Storage conditions did not affect the performance of the
seeds in the field. Seed size and shape affected the plant stands in the field, with rounded seeds exhibited the poorest
performance.