Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry - 533 105, India.
Seed moisture during storage is critical for seed viability in tobacco. Tobacco seed stored with desiccant remained viable for 17 years. Stored seed was sown in nursery beds along with kresh seed and found that germination count, number of transplantable seedlings and total seedlings produced were not affected by the period of storage. Seedling vigor was similar in both seed stored for different periods and fresh seed. Seedlings produced in the nursery from stored seed and fresh seed were planted in the field and results showed that period of storage (17, 10 and 6 years) did not influence green leaf yield, cured leaf yield and grade index. Leaf cheinical quality parameters per cent nicotine and per cent reducing sugars and per cent chlorides were analysed and these were in acceptable range.
