Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources

The storage temperature and relative humidity are two most important factors influencing seed viability. The critical moisture content is crop specific. The seeds equilibrate with the ambient humidity to particular moisture content at a particular temperature. The relationship between seed moisture and viability at different relative humidities and 35°C, was studied over a period of 150 days in Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Brassica oleracea and Glycine max. The three crops under investigation showed a rapid loss in the germination percentage at higher relative humidities of 90 and 75%. More pronounced effect was observed for G. max followed by B. oleracea and A. hypochondriacus. The proximate composition of the seeds is an important factor in determining the equilibrium moisture content of the seed.