Abstract
The species Cajanus cajan L. where pigeonpea is from presents a harvest potential in tropical regions for it is used as human and animal feed, besides being used as green fertilizer. However, the harvest area of this Fabaceae is still insignificant, due to especially the lack of quality seeds. In this context, it is possible to affirm that drying and store are portrayed as important steps for obtaining superior quality seeds. The aim of this study is to evaluate the physiologic quality of dwarf pigeonpea seeds, with different water content during storage. A factorial scheme 3 × 6 was adopted in the delimitation completely randomized, with four replications. Treatments were constituted by the combination of lots of seeds containing three different water contents (11%, 14% and 16%), submitted to a 10-month storage period, with evaluations every two months (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10). Seeds were stocked in a bag type kraft under normal lab conditions, that is, no control. Physiologic quality of the seeds was evaluated through the following tests: Germination Pattern Test—GPT, first count of germination, accelerated aging and electric conductivity. It can be concluded that pigeonpea with hard seeds containing water content at 11% existing superior physiologic quality throughout the 10-month storage, under no controlled condition, certainly promoted by the less intense breathing from the reserves cumulated in the seed lot. Pigeonpea seeds storage with water content superior to 14% promotes a sharp decrease of physiologic quality, due to an increase in metabolic activity.
Highlights
Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is a plant from the Fabaceae family and from tropical weather, with its origin still under discussion, once there are ancient reports in Asia and Africa
The species Cajanus cajan L. where pigeonpea is from presents a harvest potential in tropical regions for it is used as human and animal feed, besides being used as green fertilizer
The aim of this study is to evaluate the physiologic quality of dwarf pigeonpea seeds, with different water content during storage
Summary
Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is a plant from the Fabaceae family and from tropical weather, with its origin still under discussion, once there are ancient reports in Asia and Africa. This crop can be found in the tropics and the semi-arid tropics region of the world, but mainly in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean [1], due to its easy adaptation to several soil and weather conditions. Pigeonpea crop did not have its area expanded in Brazil due to some points, such as: little enhanced genetic material available to farmers, no-existence of productive and tolerant plague and diseases cultivars, lack of sensible harvest systems with return warranty to producer from the amount of money invested in the activity, low offer of good quality seeds in the market. It is possible to say that the influence of tropical weather on storage problems, with predominance of high temperatures and humidity, has contributed for the attainment of low quality product
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