Abstract
Poor quality in soybean seed can be due to physiological, pathological or mechanical causes. Seed morphological and anatomical features also make soybean more susceptible to damage factors than other plant species. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effects of the different damage factors upon soybean seed quality and its longevity during storage. In two trials, carried out in La Plata (Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina), soybean seed samples from 7 pre-trading lines, obtained in two consecutive crops, were analysed. Assessments were performed on day 40 and day 160 after harvesting for the first trial and on day 50 and day 150 after harvest in the second. The method employed was the blotter test, following the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) rules. The parameters evaluated were: damaged cotyledons, rotten seed, fungal contamination and germination capacity. The damage factors had different influences on seed quality. The presence of pathogenic fungi did not necessarily mean low germination capacity. Their effect depended on the degree of infection, the presence of seed-borne pathogens and the time of sample analysis. Rotten seeds and damaged cotyledons caused by moisture had a striking influence on seed quality and preservation during storage.
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