Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources

  • Year: 1998
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue: 2

Influence of storage relative humidity on viability of Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Brassica oleracea and Glycine max

  • Author:
  • Sanjeev Saxena, Kalyani Srinivasan, R.K. Tyagi, B.B. Singh
  • Total Page Count: 4
  • DOI:
  • Page Number: 219 to 222

Germplasm Conservation Division, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012.

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Relative humidity. viability, storability, Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Brassica oleracea, Glycine max