Seed Storage Period Research Articles

Effect of Seed Storage Duration and Methods on Growth and Yield of Basil Variety

The experiment was conducted at Wondogenet Agricultural Research Center to determine the effect of seed storage period and methods on the growth and yield of basil. Basil seeds stored in three storage methods (Plastic jar, Polypropylene, and Cotton bags) for six storage periods (initial period, one, three, six, nine, and twelve months) were used to evaluate the impact of the treatments on the yield and performance in the field. The field experiment was arranged by using RCBD design with three replications. The data were taken at the 90% physiological maturity stage. The results showed a significant difference between the treatments. The results indicated that the interaction effects of basil seed storage time and methods had a significant (P<0.05) effect on Primary Branch Number, Plant Height, Umbrella length, Dry, and Fresh biomass. The umbrella number of the storage methods had an accelerating trend with raising storage duration to 3 months storage, after that it shows a declining trend with raising storage time. The two storage methods plastic jar and bag maintained the seed in good condition for 3 months further, storage of the seed leads to the shortest plant and umbrella length. The highest dry biomass was recorded at 3 months stored seed in a plastic bag which was not significantly different from 3 months stored seed in a plastic jar. Basil dry biomass for the jar stored seed ranged from 0.85 to 3.33, 0.91 to 3.42 ton/ha for plastic bag whereas for the cotton bag, it ranged from 0.6 to 2.26 ton/ha. In general, seeds stored for three months had shown better growth and yield.

To Study the Impact of Seed Storage Period and Growth Regulators on Physiological Parameters of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) Seedling

An experiment entitled “To study the impact of seed storage period and growth regulators on physiological parameters of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) seedling” was conducted in a green shade net house at Horticultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the year kharif-2019. The treatment comprised three levels of seed storage period (S) viz., S1- 0 days after extraction of seed, S2- 5 days after extraction of seed and S3- 10 days after extraction of seed and five seed soaking treatments of growth regulators GA3 for 24 hrs (G) viz., G1- GA3 ‘at’ 100 mg 1-1, G2- GA3 ‘at’ 150 mg 1-1, G3- NAA ‘at’ 25 mg 1-1, G4- NAA ‘at’ 50 mg 1-1 and G5- Control. The experiment was conducted in Completely Randomized Design (Factorial) with 15 treatment combinations and repeated thrice. Sowing of fresh extracted seeds of jackfruit recorded at 90 DAS maximum leaf area (43.38 cm2), root: shoot ratio (0.22), vigour index-I (41.60) and vigour index-II (3.17). While, Soaking seed in GA3 ‘at’ 100 mg l-1 for 24 hrs recorded at 90 DAS maximum leaf area (52.34 cm2), root: shoot ratio (0.22), vigour index-I (38.08) and vigour index-II (3.13). Treatment combination sowing of fresh extracted seeds and soaking seeds in GA3 ‘at’ 100 mg l-1 for 24 hrs recorded at 90 DAS maximum leaf area (59.87 cm2) vigour index-I (56.03) and vigour index-II (5.37).

Germination responses with different treatments, seed vigour and seedling growth of Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk.) provenances stored from 19 to 30 years

Knowledge of the genetic variability of different species for conservation purposes and quality seedling production after longer storage time is important. The aim of the research paper was to examine the effect of longer seed storage periods (19–30 year) on seed viability, seed vigour and initial growth of seedlings from five provenances of Pterolobium stellatum (Forssk). Seeds collected from Dabena, Gambo, Agaro, Bishofitu, and Merti localities and stored for 19, 19, 21, 25, and 30 years, respectively used for the study. Different seed dormancy-breaking treatments such as; soaking in cold water for 48 h (CW-48); soaking in hot water for 10 min (HW-10); 20 min (HW-20) and mechanical scarification; i.e., nicking (NK) used for the germination of the seeds. A randomized complete block design was used for the experiment and the study undertaken in a greenhouse. For each treatment, four replications and for each replication, 50 seeds were used. One-way analysis of variance was used for germination index, early seedling growth and seed vigour index data. The results showed that for all the provenance seeds stored for different periods, NK treatment resulted relatively in a higher mean germination percentage and germination indices as compared to the other pre-treatments. The seed vigour index result showed significant differences among the different provenances (P < 0.001). Similarly, there were significant differences among the early growth of seedlings germinated from different provenance seeds (P < 0.001). The seeds collected from Merti provenance and stored for 30 years and Dabena provenance, stored for 19 years, have relatively resulted in higher mean germination index, seed vigour and seedling growth relative to the other studied provenance seeds. We observed that provenance had a more significant influence on germination, seed vigour and seedling growth than the seed storage period for the P. stellatum. Finally it is recommended that despite there is inter population variation, the seeds of P. stellatum can be stored for a longer time and application of nicking as a dormancy breaking treatment could enhance seed germination of the species.

Variability of reproductive seed quality in &lt;i&gt;Сlarkia amoena&lt;/i&gt; (Lehm.) A. Nelson &amp; J.F. Macbr)) depending on storage duration under ex-situ conditions

This paper presents the results of assessing the reproductive seed quality of Clarkia amoena (Lehm) A. Nelson &amp; J.F. Macbr) seeds during storage under laboratory conditions (temperature 20–22°C). The seeds were stored in paper bags for eight years. The authors selected seed samples from pods of varying degrees of maturity (open and closed) and different positions on the mother plant (branches of other orders). The authors set up three groups based on their location on the mother plant: 1) Sixty-four seed samples were formed on the main stem (firstorder branches); 2) Sixty-four seed samples were created on second-order branches; 3) Sixty-four seed samples were created on third-order branches and two groups based on fruit maturity: open and closed pods. In total, 192 seed samples were evaluated. Seed quality assessment was conducted annually in April, following GOST 24933.081 standards for flower crop seeds. The initial laboratory germination of seeds ranged from 69% for samples taken from closed pods on third-order branches to 97% for samples taken from open pods on the main stem. It decreased with an increase in the seed storage period according to a linear regression equation: Y = 7.673–0.064X, where Y is the storage duration, and X is the seed germination rate. Over eight years of storage, the 1000-seed mass decreased by 37.2% for samples from the main stem's open pods and 30.3% for samples from closed pods, by 43.6% and 46.8% for second-order branches, and by 46.1% and 50.9% for third-order extensions, respectively. On average, the 1000-seed mass decreased by 0.2 g for all samples over eight years of storage. Regression and correlation analyses (Pearson's coefficient) revealed significant negative relationships between storage duration and seed germination energy (r = –0.849), germination rate (r = –0.853), and 1000-seed mass (r = –0.790). A strong positive correlation was observed between seed mass and viability (r = 0.886). Over eight years of storage, seeds from the main stem lost their germination rate to 18–23%, significantly lower than the initial rate. In contrast, second-order branch seeds decreased by half, and roots from third-order branches completely lost viability. A multidimensional model of the interaction of factors—storage duration and branch order—on seed viability under ex-situ conditions was constructed, demonstrating that the overall viability of Clarkia amoena seeds is maintained for 4–5 years.

Using α -amylase enzyme with the seed pre-soaking to develop emergence and yield of triticale

In order to investigate the efficiency of stimulating stored seeds of Triticale (X Triticosecale wittmack) by α -amylase enzyme, a field experiment was carried out using split plot arrangements according to a randomized complete block design in three replications. The storage period of seeds 6 months, 1.5 years, and 2.5 years represented the main plots. The stimulation treatments was secondary plots included dry seeds (control), stimulated seeds with distilled water, 1 and 2 mg L-1 of α -amylase enzyme. The results showed a significant decrease in the percentage of emergence, plant leaf area, plant dry weight, number of tillers m-2, number of spikes m-2, weight of one thousand grains, and grain yield with the increasing of storage period. The enzyme concentration of 1 mg L-1 was the superior in % emergence (85.02), Plant leaf area (244.88) cm2, plant dry weight (2.087) g, number of tillers (448.8) tiller m-2, number of spikes (372.9) spike m-2, number of grains spike-1 (44.13) grain spike-1 and grain yield (5.842) ton h-1. However, there was on significant differences between the two concentration 1 and 2 mg L-1 of enzyme in leaf area, plant dry weight, 1000 grain weight and grain yield.

Mitigation of Acetamiprid Residue Disruption on Pea Seed Germination by Selenium Nanoparticles and Lentinans.

The use of pesticides for pest control during the storage period of legume seeds is a common practice. This study evaluated the disruptive effects on pea seed germination and the repair effects of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and lentinans (LNTs) This study examined the biomass, nutrient content, antioxidant indicators, plant hormones, phenolic compounds, and metabolites associated with the lignin biosynthesis pathway in pea sprouts. The application of acetamiprid resulted in a significant decrease in yield, amino-acid content, and phenolic compound content of pea sprouts, along with observed lignin deposition. Moreover, acetamiprid residue exerted a notable level of stress on pea sprouts, as evidenced by changes in antioxidant indicators and plant hormones. During pea seed germination, separate applications of 5 mg/L SeNPs or 20 mg/L LNTs partially alleviated the negative effects induced by acetamiprid. When used in combination, these treatments restored most of the aforementioned indicators to levels comparable to the control group. Correlation analysis suggested that the regulation of lignin content in pea sprouts may involve lignin monomer levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, and plant hormone signaling mediation. This study provides insight into the adverse impact of acetamiprid residues on pea sprout quality and highlights the reparative mechanism of SeNPs and LNTs, offering a quality assurance method for microgreens, particularly pea sprouts. Future studies can validate the findings of this study from the perspective of gene expression.

Effect of Seed Coating and Packaging Material on Viability and Vigor of Soybean Seed in Room Temperature Storage

Soybean seed procurement was challenging due to the quality degradation during the seed storage period. Seed coating is necessary in order to overcome the leakage of seed metabolites. Seed coating has to be supported by a storage package that can protect the seed from temperature and humidity fluctuations in storage. This study aimed to determine the effect of seed coating using antioxidants and storage packaging to maintain the viability and vigor of soybean seeds. The experiment was carried out factorially with the basic pattern of Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and was repetitively replications by three times. The first factor was seed coating, which consisted of 4 levels such as M1=no coating, M2= 3% of Arabic gum + ascorbic acid, M3= 3% of Arabic gum + tocopherol, and M4= 3% of Arabic gum + mangosteen peel extract. The second factor was that the storage package consisted of 3 levels, which were N1= aluminum foil, N2= polyethylene plastic, and N3= plastic sack. The interaction between the seed coating material and storage package on seed moisture content with the best treatment was seed coating using ascorbic acid and aluminum foil package, seed coating treatment carried out the best effect without implementing the seed coating, and the storage package treatment that presented the best effect was aluminum foil package.

Effects of Storage Duration and Structures on Sesame Seed Germination, Mold Growth, and Mycotoxin Accumulation.

Sesame is an important oil crop for the Ethiopian economy. However, the lack of adequate storage facilities results in significant losses of sesame seeds. This study was designed to compare the effects of storage conditions and the subsequent impact on sesame seed germination, mold growth, and mycotoxin accumulation over the storage period. The efficacy of two hermetic bags (1. Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags and 2. Super GrainPro (SGP) bags) was directly compared to sesame storage in polypropylene (PP bags) and Jute bags. Storage conditions (oxygen, carbon dioxide, temperature, moisture content and relative humidity) of samples were analyzed in the laboratory in three replicates. Results showed that the oxygen concentrations dropped to 6.9% (±0.02) in PICS bags and 8.7% (±0.06) in SGP bags at the end of 6 months of storage. In non-hermetic bags Jute and PP), oxygen levels were close to atmospheric levels at 2-, 4-, and 6-month storage periods. In non-hermetic bags throughout storage, the amount of seed infection by mold constantly increased, and seed germination decreased. Sesame seeds stored in hermetic bags had 89.7% (±0.58) to 88.3% (±2.89) germination rates versus 61.67% (±2.08) for non-hermetic storage bags over the 6-month seed storage period. All mycotoxin levels increased over the same storage period, whereas comparative levels were much lower in hermetic bags after six months. Sesame seeds stored in both hermetic bags had the lowest level of tested mycotoxins, and levels among the SGP and PICS bags were not significantly different from one another. This study provides strong evidence indicating that hermetic storage structures such as PICS and SGP significantly affect temperature, humidity, moisture content, CO2 and oxygen levels resulting in the lowering of fungal growth and mycotoxin accumulation and effectively preserving stored sesame without relying on synthetic pesticides in Ethiopia.

Analysis of the vigor of Melaleuca Leucadendron L. seeds exposed to ionizing radiation

Gamma-ray irradiation is a type of ionizing radiation that can be used to improve the physiological quality of Melaleuca leucadendron L. (gelam) seeds. The focus of the research was to observe the influence of gamma-ray exposed on the vigor of new, and stored seeds of M. leucadendron. Viability testing was carried out. The analyzed of statistic were variance analyzed by analysis using one factor with thirteen treatments (0; 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480, 960 Gy) and four replication. A T-test was conducted to decide the effect of the seed storage period on seed viability for all doses of gamma-ray exposure treatment. The new M. leucadendron seeds irradiated up to 960 Gy did not reduce the number of sprouts. However, the seed storage vigor decreased in almost all irradiated doses after two months of storage, except at a dose of 2.5 Gy. The conclusion of this research shows that low-dose irradiation treatment can increase the vigor of the M. leucadendron seeds that have been stored, and it will contribute to the effort to maintain seed viability for conservation purposes.

Elastisitas Transmisi Harga Komoditas Buah Pepaya Di Kabupaten Indramayu Jawa Barat

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the agricultural products whose seeds are used for food. Therefore, a good storage method is needed in order to increase the percentage of seed quality. Storage is one of a series of activities carried out after harvest which aims to reduce or reduce seed moisture content and can also increase the vigor resistance and viability of seeds to the environment. There are two types of storage methods, namely traditional storage methods and modern storage methods. The modern storage method is a development of the traditional development method, only the tools and materials used are different. the lowest percentage germination rate of the six parameters observed was the traditional storage method in jerry cans. This means that the percentage of seed germination rates from the four methods with increased germination rate (&gt;) is in accordance with the observed data even though the seed storage period is at the same time, namely from May to September.

EVALUASI MUTU FISIOLOGIS BENIH KEDELAI KUNING (Glycine max L.) PADA PENYIMPANAN TERBUKA

Quality soybean seeds are one of the essential factors to support soybean production. One of the obstacles in providing quality soybean seeds was the physiological quality of soybean seeds declined speedily during storage, especially in open storage. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of yellow soybean seeds during a six-month storage period. This research was carried out from October 2020 to March 2021 in the seed analysis laboratory of the Seed Technology Study Program, Lampung State Polytechnic. The study used a Split-Plot Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. The main plot was the seed storage period which consists of seven levels, specifically 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months. Sub-plots were soybean variety which consists of two levels, specifically Dega variety and Deja variety. The results of the study indicated that (1) Deja variety had higher physiological quality than Dega variety based on germination, vigor index, growth speed, growth, maximum growth potential, and seed moisture content during the six-month storage period (2) Deja variety had longer storability than Dega variety in open storage.Keywords: Soybean, Physiological quality, Open storage.

In Vitro Studies on Seed Germination of the Mediterranean Species Anthyllis barba-jovis to Facilitate Its Introduction into the Floriculture Industry

Anthyllis barba-jovis is a salt and drought tolerant evergreen shrub, native of the western-central Mediterranean coasts, with ornamental characteristics that make it worthy to be exploited for commercial use as an ornamental and landscape plant. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine germination as affected by seed-coat, temperature, photoperiod, and seed storage period, as a first approach to introduce the species into the floriculture industry. Seeds scarified or non-scarified, recently harvested or after storage at room temperature in the dark for 12, 24, or 36 months were placed for germination in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, under 16 h photoperiod (LD) or continuous darkness, at 5–35 °C, at 5 °C intervals. Seed pre-treatment by mechanical scarification with sandpaper highly promoted their germinability. Seeds germinated in all treatments at varying percentages. Photoperiod had no significant effect on germination. Cardinal temperatures for germination were defined at 35 °C and 5 °C (possibly even lower, particularly for up to 1-year-old seeds, which germinated at 30–58% at 5 °C when scarified). Temperatures from 15 to 25 °C were optimal for germination of recently harvested or 1-year-old seeds (82–98% when scarified), whereas older seeds germinated at higher percentages at 20 °C (65–97% when scarified), thus long storage affected both the range of optimal temperatures for germination and the germination percentage. Storage reduced germination mostly of non-scarified seeds. Three years after harvesting A. barba-jovis seeds germinated at high percentages (77%) at 20 °C and LD when scarified, while without scarification germination was less than 10% in all treatments.

Effect of storage temperature and packing materials on seed germination and seed storage behavior of Schefflera abyssinica

Abstract. Bareke T, Addi A, Roba K, Kumsa T. 2022. Effect of storage temperature and packing materials on seed germination and seed storage behavior of Schefflera abyssinica. Nusantara Bioscience 14: 141-147. Knowledge of seed storage behavior is crucial for developing appropriate ex-situ conservation strategies. The main objective of this study was to determine the seed storage behavior of Schefflera abyssinica (Hochst. ex A. Rich.). A factorial combination of three temperatures (-10, 0, and 22°C) levels, two types of packing containers (polythene bag and aluminum bag), and eight periods of storage (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 days, and for a year) level was used to determine the germination capacity and storage behavior of the seeds. Accordingly, seed storage temperatures and storage period (up to 1 year) have a significant effect on the germination (p&lt;0.01) of S. abyssinica. The highest average germination percentage of S. abyssinica seeds was obtained after 2 months of storage under all conditions. The seed storage period influences the germination of S. abyssinica by 47.8%. The germination percentages of S. abyssinica seeds have shown significant differences in storage temperatures. Seeds stored at -10°C showed the highest germination percentage in all storage periods compared to the two storage temperatures. Generally, the highest germination capacity of S. abyssinica seeds was between 7% and 9% moisture content after 60 and 90 days of storage. Packing materials have no significant difference in the survival of seeds. No stored seeds germinated after one year of storage at room temperature, 0°C, and -10°C. Based on the definition of seed storage behavior, we conclude that seeds of S. abyssinica have intermediate storage.

Packaging types as influencing seed quality in some soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] varieties during storage period

The post-harvest process at the storage stage is one of the most critical processes for maintaining soybean seed quality. The type of packaging and the type of material stored will affect its shelf life. One type of packaging has specific properties that are different from other types of packaging. Therefore, this study used several types of packaging materials and soybean varieties to determine changes in its quality during storage. The treatments were arranged in a 5 × 4 × 7 factorial experiment in a randomised block design (RBD) with three replications, consisting of totally 140 treatment combinations involving five different types of packaging materials. Water content, the weight of 100 grains, seedling dry weight, electrical conductivity (EC), and germination percentage were assessed monthly. The factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare water content, the weight of 100 grains, EC, germination, and seedling dry weight. A qualitative descriptive analysis method was employed for the temperature and relative humidity of the storage room. The results showed that Grobogan had the lowest germination percentage of 84.85% compared to the other varieties (86.97–90.82%). Plastic sack resulted in the most inferior seed quality (82.00% for plastic sack vs. 88.23–90.17% for the other containers). A more extended storage period of soybean seeds caused a decrease in soybean quality for all varieties and packaging materials. Up to 6 months of storage at room temperature, the quality of soybean seeds remained high, with the lowest germination of 80%.

Effect of Water Stress during Seed Production and Storage Time on Germination and Seedling Growth of Cowpea Grown in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka

The water stress during the flowering stage of cowpea reduces the seed yield of the same season, but its effect on seed germination and seedling growth in the following season remains poorly understood. This study was carried out to determine the effect of soil water stress maintained during the onset of flowering stage and storage period of seeds on seed germination, vigor index, and seed physical characteristics of five cowpea varieties (<em>Waruni</em>, <em>Dhawala</em>, <em>MI 35</em>, <em>ANKCP 01 </em>and <em>Bombay</em>) in the following season in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Seed production under well-watered and water-stressed conditions was done at the Field Crops Research and Development Institute (FCRDI), Mahailuppallama, in a Randomized Complete Block Design. The germination study was conducted in a polytunnel at the Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura, following the Completely Randomized Design. Seeds of five cowpea varieties produced after exposing the plants to two soil moisture levels (water stress: -50 kPa and well-watered: -30 kPa) were used in a series of germination trials conducted after 1, 1½, 2, and 2½ months of storage. Three hundred seeds from each genotype, randomly sub-divided into three replicates of 100 seeds each, were sown in sterilized sand media. Germination percentage was recorded on the 4^th and 6^th days after sowing. The seedling characters were assessed on the 6^th day after sowing, using five randomly-selected seedlings from each replicate. The results revealed that the storage time significantly affected germination (<em>p</em>= 0.0133). However, the soil water status maintained during seed production did not affect the germination percentage of any variety in the following season. The majority of the varieties showed an increase in germination percentage with storage time. Although the vigor index did not change with either the well-watered or water-stressed treatments in all five varieties, the vigor index of all varieties declined with storage period irrespective of the water treatment (<em>p</em>&lt; 0.0001). The findings suggest that moderate water deficits during cowpea seed production do not compromise seed germination and seedling vigor in the following season while emphasizing the importance of utilizing the seeds for subsequent field cultivation in the following season before their vigor is decreased.

Biological features of seeds of a wild-growing species of Poterium polygamum

Relevance. Biological features (morphometric indicators, viability and germinating power) of Poterium polygamum seeds found in natural communites of the Stavropol Territory have been studied. The conservation of wild-growing plant species in the natural population and the rational use of their potential are relevant.Methods. Years of study — 2013–2021. The subject of the study is Poterium polygamum seeds. Seeds were collected in 2013. Studies were carried out according to the methods of studying seed material. Freshly harvested seeds and seeds of different shelf life were germinated in petri dishes at a temperature of 18–20 °C.Results. The collected seeds of Poterium polygamum are quite large. The length of the seeds is 4–5 mm, the width is about 2.5 mm. The mass of 1000 pieces of seeds on average was 10.59 grams. Complete absence of viability of freshly harvested Poterium polygamum seeds was revealed. After three months, seed viability was 97%. This is a shallow physiological rest associated with the post-harvest maturation period. During the storage of seeds, their high germination was established — from 70 to 100%. The duration of seed storage is 8 years. The largest number of germinated seeds and their germinating power were noted in the third year of their storage (100%). Seeds germinated on the third or fourth day. The differences between the viability of seeds and their germinating power are not great. In the eighth year of storage of Poterium polygamum seeds, viability and germinating power were slightly reduced. The storage period of seeds, in which they retain the ability to germinate and the germinating power, is long. It has been found that the wild species Poterium polygamum belongs to plants with a high (70 to 100%) viability. This species is regularly resumed in the natural population. The revealed biological features of Poterium polygamum seeds can become the scientific basis during the reconstruction of degraded natural grass stand and in selection work.

Effect of long-term storage on viability of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) seeds

Abstract: Prolonged storage of seeds may lead to decreases in seed quality, negatively affecting germination and vigor and preventing the obtaining of a promising stand. Seed quality is a critical factor, and the performance of the lot can be altered by vigor, dormancy and, mainly, by the time and conditions in which the seeds were stored. In the experiment, the physiological quality of seeds 14 genotypes of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) genotypes stored for a period of thirteen years in cold conditions was evaluated. The seeds were subjected to germination induction treatment with potassium nitrate (KNO3) and evaluated to identify seeds with presence and absence of embryos. The seed storage period affected their germination capacity and the use of KNO3 did not increase seed germination. A low number of full seeds was found for genotype 613 (12%). The relative germination percentages did not underestimate the buffel grass seed germination potential, as it is usually calculated, providing an improved distinction between the evaluated genotypes. The use of KNO3 increased the seedling root and shoot weights of some genotypes, as well as the dry matter weight of seedlings, an important characteristic for forage production. The prolonged storage affects the physiological quality of buffel grass seeds. The production of seeds without embryo is a problem found for this species, which affects the final quality of the seed lots produced.

Sanitary quality of cooled and stored soybean seeds

Maintaining seed quality during storage is a fundamental premise for production efficiency. The aim was to evaluate the effect of cooling prior to packing seeds and of types of packaging on the occurrence of fungal species and the oscillations of fungal populations over the storage period of soybean seeds. A completely randomized experimental design was used with four replications in a 2×3×5 factorial arrangement, consisting of cooling or no cooling of the seed mass before packing, three types of packaging, and five moments of evaluation during storage. Sanitary quality was evaluated by the method of incubation in filter paper without freezing. The seed mass cooled to 13°C prior to packing returned to ambient temperature in 15 days in a warehouse without controlled conditions. Cooling prior to packing does not affect the sanitary quality of soybean seeds during storage, whereas the type of packaging does have an effect. The incidence of Phomopsis spp. and Fusarium spp. at the beginning of storage was lower mainly for seeds stored in the HDPE container. The occurrence of Cercospora kikuchii decreases over storage time. In all the packaging, the incidence of Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. increases as the storage period advances.

Growth and yield of shallots (Allium cepa var aggregatum L.) under different seed bulbs storage period

The availability of qualified and sustainable seeds is one of the determinants of the success of shallot farming. One of the constraints factor in the supply of shallot seeds is the short storage period that is about 2-3 months. This study aims to determine the effect of varieties and seed storage period on growth and yield shallots. This research was conducted at Indonesian Vegetables Research Institute, Lembang, West Java, Indonesia. The study was designed using split plot design with four replications. The main plot was seed storage period for four months, five months and six months after harvest and the subplot was varieties, consisting of seven varieties that have been released, namely Bima Brebes, Katumi, Kuning, Pikatan, Trisula, Pancasona and Mentes. The results showed that the yield of wet bulbs per hectare of five-months-storage period bulb seeds was significantly higher than six months storage period for the varieties of Bima Brebes, Katumi, Kuning, Pikatan, Pancasona and Mentes. Five-months-storage period of shallot bulb seeds can still be used as a source of seeds for the varieties of Bima Brebes, Katumi, Kuning, Pikatan, Pancasona and Mentes.

Effects of Seed Storage Duration and Matriconditioning Materials on Germination and Seedling Characteristics of Maize

Matriconditioning treatments have been reported to improve seed and seedling qualities of many crops after certain storage periods. The research was conducted to evaluate different matriconditioning substances on seedlings characteristics of seeds that previously stored in different periods. The research was carried out from October 2015 to April 2016 at the Indonesian Cereal Research Institute (ICERI). The experiment was arranged in factorial completely randomized design to facilitate the combination of two factors. The first factor was seed storage period, i.e. 4, 36 and 72 months, while the second factor dealt with matriconditioning subtances, i.e without matriconditioning, sawdust, carbonized rice hull and rice straw. The results showed that matriconditioning treatments improved seed and seedling qualities of the maize seeds derived from different storage periods. Shorter seed storage period produced seedlings with higher percentage of germination, germination rate, seedling dry weight, shoots and roots lenghts and lower EC. Among the tested matriconditioning substances, carbonized rice hull provided more suitable condition to improve seedling qualities in any seed storage period than saw dust and rice straw.