Deterioration in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seeds under natural and accelerated ageing

Abstract

Laboratory studies were conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore to evaluate the deterioration in sesame seed under natural and accelerated ageing. Freshly harvested seeds of sesame (VRI 2) were obtained from Soil and Water Management Research Institute (Kattuthotam) were kept under accelerated ageing condition by exposing the seeds to 400C temperature and 100 per cent relative humidity. Simultaneously, the seeds were packed in cloth bag and kept under ambient condition for natural ageing for 10 months in order to assess the physical, physiological and biochemical changes taking place during storage. However, reduction of Germination percent was coincided with the reduction Of seed quality parameters. As a conclusion, three days of accelerated ageing was equivalent to ten Months of natural storage at the time maintained the Germination above Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards.