Studies on bioactivity of ethnopharmacological weed extract on storability of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

Abstract

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the ethnopharmacological weed extract treatments on storability of cowpea seeds var. KBC-9. The seeds treated with weed powder @ 25 g/kg of seeds such as Alternanthera sessilis, Cassia tora, Croton bonplandianum, Euphorbia hirta and Xanthium strumarium and Bavistin and Spinetorium are also taken as check and treated seeds were stored up to 9 months. The results revealed that irrespective of treatments, the seed quality attributes reduced with increasing storage period due to seed deterioration. Among ethnopharmacological weed extract powder, seed treated with Xanthium strumarium @ 25 g/kg of seeds can be stored up to 4 months with maintaining minimum seed germination standards.