Effect of Storage Containers to Stabilize the Seed Quality in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Seed detoriation is a mjor constraint for right production of different crops and detoriation of seeds starts with physiological maturity of crop up to storage. The process of seed deterioration may be related to various physiological changes, such as a continuous fall in germinability, an increase in mean germination time, an increase in aberrant seedling frequency, and a lower tolerance to unfavourable climatic conditions. Numerous physical and chemical factors, such as moisture content, atmospheric relative humidity, temperature, preliminary seed quality, the physical and chemical makeup of the seed, gaseous exchange, storage structure, storage materials, etc., affect the viability and vigour of the seeds while they are in storage in addition to varying from genus to genus and variety to variety. Seeds of wheat variety, Sharbati C306 was stored in different containers i.e., Polyethylene bag, Muslin cloth bag and Bamboo storage structure in the laboratory. Effect of storage containers were analysed for various storage period and found that all the containers are significantly with various parameters. The polythene bag recorded the least insect infestation (5.94%) and electrical conductivity (21.25), whereas, polythene was found to be effective in maintaining seed and seed quality parameters with highest germination (87.00%), mean seedling length (12.92 cm), seed vigor index was 1 (1125.65) and 2 (25.23), Dry weight (0.297 gm), test weight (43.79 gm) and biochemicals i.e., Carbohydrate (71.00%) and gluten (11.36%).