Post-harvest dry and wet physiological seed treatments for improved storability and field performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Pre- and mid-storage seed invigoration treatment of high-medium vigour (2-month-old) and medium vigour (5-month-old) okra seeds respectively with powdered pharmaceutical formulations viz., aspirin @ 50mg/kg of seed and ascorbic acid @ 500mg/kg of seed; chemicals viz., bleaching powder @ 2g/kg of seed and crude plant preparations viz., Capsicum frutescens L. (red chilli powder) @ 1g/kg of seed, neem leaf, spinach leaf and Vitex negundo L. (nisinda leaf powder) @ 2g/kg of seed significantly controlled the loss of vigour and viability of seeds during subsequent storage under various ageing conditions. Pre-storage soaking-drying treatment did not show any beneficial effect in improving the storability of okra seeds, probably due to soaking injury in high-medium vigour seeds. But mid-storage soaking-drying gave better results in improving the storability over untreated control. Field performance and productivity of the pre- and mid-storage dry treated seeds, especially with bleaching powder, red chilli powder and aspirin were significantly greater than that of untreated (control) seed. Mid-storage wet treatment showed significant increase in yield and other yield attributes over control. But in high-medium vigour seed lot, dry treatment showed better field performance as compared to the wet treatment. In physiological and biochemical studies, the reduced leakage of electrolytes and sugars were recorded by the pre- and mid-storage dry and wet treatment over untreated control after subsequent storage under ambient conditions for 150 days. The dehydrogenase enzyme activity was also significantly higher in the aforesaid treatment over untreated (control) seed. Thus, based on the above results, pre-storage dry seed treatments with red chilli powder and bleaching powder as well as mid-storage soaking-drying treatment may be suggested for the maintenance of germinability during storage and field performance of okra.