Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate physiological and biochemical alterations during the development and storage of habanero pepper seeds with a view toward determining the time of harvest. Seeds were manually extracted from the fruit at three stages of development: E1 (fruit with first signs of yellowing), E2 (mature fruit) and E3 (mature fruit submitted to seven days of rest). After drying, seeds with 8% water content were stored at 10°C for 0, 4 and 8 months, and their quality evaluated by means of germination and vigor tests. Activities of the enzymes α-amylase, endo-β-mannanase, esterase, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were evaluated during germination at 0, 48, 96 and 144 h after seeding. A randomized block design was used in a 3 × 3 factorial design (stages of development × storage) with 4 replications. Lower germination and vigor values were observed for the E1 stage seeds at all storage periods. In recently stored seeds, greater germination and vigor values were observed for the E3 stage seeds. Dormancy was observed principally in recently stored seeds and this was overcome at four months of storage. In summary, the physiological tests and activity of the enzymes evaluated indicated that the habanero pepper should be harvested at the E3 stage for a higher seed quality. Key words: Capsicum chinense, seed maturation, seed quality.
Highlights
The demand for high quality seeds has grown substantially in recent years, which requires that seed companies adopt advanced technologies during production, processing and storage processes
Studies related to maturation and harvest of seeds is important since seeds reach their maximum quality in the field. Such knowledge is necessary for seed producers to determine the ideal time for harvest that would minimize seed quality deterioration caused by a prolonged period in the field, and increase seed production, by preventing a too early harvest since this may result in a large proportion of immature seeds (Vidigal et al, 2009)
Lower germination values were observed for the habanero pepper seeds processed in the first stage of development (E1), in all storage periods (Table 2)
Summary
The demand for high quality seeds has grown substantially in recent years, which requires that seed companies adopt advanced technologies during production, processing and storage processes. Studies related to maturation and harvest of seeds is important since seeds reach their maximum quality in the field Such knowledge is necessary for seed producers to determine the ideal time for harvest that would minimize seed quality deterioration caused by a prolonged period in the field, and increase seed production, by preventing a too early harvest since this may result in a large proportion of immature seeds (Vidigal et al, 2009). In species with fleshy fruit, it has been observed that seeds maintained for a certain period of time in the fruit after harvest complete the maturation process, reaching maximum levels of germination and vigor (Barbedo et al, 1994; Vidigal et al, 2006; Dias et al, 2006).
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