Assessing the physiological maturity of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan, L. Millsp) seeds

Pigeon pea (Cajanus Cojan,) crop was harvested at different seed moisture levels which was threshed after the crop was sufficiently air dried. As the seeds reached moisture below 46 per cent, their quality reduced in terms of their germinability, tetrazolium chloride test, and electrical conductance of seed leaehates, Total proteins remained unaffected with desiccation of seed, however, different protein fractions viz. albumins, prolamins, globulins and glutelins and free amino acids showed important changes beyond physiological maturity. Data indicated that the seeds get aged on the mother plant itself after physiological maturity. It is suggested that pigeon pea crop should be harvested at physiological maturity to achieve high quality of the seed.