Effects of Seed Treatment Techniques on Buck Wheat (Fagopyrum esculentum L.) Seed Quality and Seed Health during Storage

Abstract

This chapter aims to investigate the Effects of Seed treatment techniques on Buckwheat Seed Quality and Seed Health during storage. Buck wheat is a gluten-free pseudocereal with high biological value that has the potential to be used as a functional food. Due to its therapeutic, dietary, and nutritional benefits, buckwheat holds a unique place among cultivable crops. The present investigation was carried out at the Laboratory of Seed science and Technology in the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Agricultural University, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Science, Prayagraj (U.P.). Buckwheat occupies a special place amongst cultivable crops due to its nutritional, dietetic and therapeutic properties. The five genotypes used in the experiment are IC-18040(G1), IC-18289(G2),IC-18757(G3), IC- 18881(G4), IC-18889(G5). Seeds were treated with neem oil of 5 ml/kg (T1) and carbendazim at 2g/kg (T2) and seeds alone with control (untreated T0) and packed in a cloth bag and stored for 9 months under ambient conditions. The seed quality parameters like germination percentage, root length, shoot length, seedling length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour index I, seedling vigour index II seed viability and seed health test were determined. The outcome amply demonstrated that seeds of IC-18289(G2) treated with neem oil were found to produce high germination percent (80%), root length (10.19 cm), shoot length (8.29 cm), seedling length (18.48 cm), fresh weight (0.59 g), dry weight (0.37 g), Vigour index I (1478.40), Vigour index –II (2.96) viability (58) and seed infection (least seed infected- 2.30) compared to seeds treated with carbendazim and control (untreated).