Influence of Various Packaging Materials and Storage Conditions on Seed Physiology and Quality in Pulses

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to know the influence of various packaging newlinematerials and storage conditions on seed physiology and quality in pulses at the newlineDepartment of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad from newlineNovember 2019 to May 2021. The seeds of greengram, moth bean, blackgram, chickpea newlineand redgram were packed in different packaging materials viz., cloth, gunny, high newlinedensity polythene (HDPE) and vacuum packed bag and these packed materials were newlinestored under ambient and cold storage (5 -7 ºC temperature with 60 ± 2 % RH) for the newlineperiod of 18 months. newlineDuring the course of investigation, the various seed quality and physiological newlineparameters viz., germination, root length, shoot length, total seedling length, seedling newlinevigour index, seedling dry weight, mobilization efficiency, mean germination time, newlineelectrical conductivity of seed leachates, moisture content, dehydrogenase activity, newlineprotein content and and#945; amylase activity were recorded bi-monthly upto 18 months. newlineAfter 2 months of storage, there was no significant difference in any of these newlineparameters tested under both the conditions (ambient and cold) in all packaging newlinematerials (cloth, gunny, HDPE, and vacuum packed bags) except moisture content newlinewhich was due to hygroscopic nature of seeds and pervious nature of cloth, gunny, and newlineHDPE bags. In vacuum packed bags, seed moisture content was maintained constantly newlinethroughout the storage irrespective of storage conditions due to higher thickness, less newlinewater and air permeability. Under cold condition, initially there was increase in newlinemoisture content in cloth, gunny and HDPE bags further, there is no change in moisture newlinecontent throughout the storage period because of the prevalence of the same storage newlineconditions. newlineAs the storage period progressed, there was bruchid infestation in greengram newlineand moth bean seeds after 4 months of storage whereas, blackgram, chickpea and newlineredgram were infested after 8 months of storage under ambient condition in cloth, newlinegunny and HDPE bags while, no infestation was observed in any of the crop seeds even newlineafter 18 months of the storage period in vacuum packed bags under both the conditions. newline newline