Effect of storage containers and storage period on physio-biochemical changes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties

Abstract

The quality of seed is the most important factor in improving crop yields. Under favourable weather conditions and management practices, seed yield may decrease upto 10% due to use of poor quality seeds. Therefore, seeds should be maintained properly using appropriate storage containers for next season sowing. Hence, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of storage containers and storage period and to determine the pattern of seed deterioration throughout the storage period on wheat genotypes. Seeds of two varieties namely NADI#1 (V1) and DBW 303 (V2) were stored in containers like earthen pots, cloth bags and polythene bags for a storage period of 8 months. The design of experiment was Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) replicated thrice with three factors, comprising container as first factor, period of storage as second factor and variety as third factor. Seeds stored in polythene bag (C3) recorded highest mean value followed by earthen pot (C1) and cloth bag (C2). During both first and second year, NADI#1 (V1) recorded the higher germination percentage (92.71 and 92.30), seedling length (24.78 and 25.17 cm), vigour index-I (2302.25 and 2327.88), soluble protein content (11.00 and 10.84 mg g-1), α - amylase activity (0.392 and 0.415 μmol min-1) and peroxidase activity (4.24 and 4.14 μmol min-1) as compared to DBW 303 (V2). NADI#1 (V1) showed minimum values of electrical conductivity (58.91 and 55.00 µS cm-1g-1 during first and second year respectively) for seeds that were stored in polythene bag (C3). All the physiological and biochemical parameters showed decreasing pattern throughout the storage period (P1 to P5) except electrical conductivity activity which showed increasing trend in both the varieties in all three containers. The deterioration trend was rapid in cloth bag but slower in polythene bag owing to its moisture impervious nature. Therefore, wheat seeds are best stored under polythene bag with germination value (>85%) even upto P5 compared to cloth bag.