Effect of storage condition and its duration on seed quality of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of types of storage and duration on seed quality of extra large seeded kabuli chickpea (Kripa). The seeds were stored for 20 months in four different types of seed storage i.e. gunny bag, silo, polypropylene sacks, hermetic polyethylene bag. The study showed that types of storage had significant effect on chickpea seed quality. The moisture content, electrical conductivity, proportion of abnormal and dead seeds gradually increased along with storage period, while the proportion of normal seedlings (germination%) and seed vigour decreased gradually. Irrespective of storage condition seeds were able to maintain the germination percentage, up to eight months after which it declined sharply. After 20 months seeds stored in jute gunny bag, silo, conventional propylene sack and hermetic polyethylene bag recorded 6, 36, 20 and 48% germination, respectively. The reduction in germination upon storage could be attributed to change or alteration in the seed storage protein as a number of peptides with molecular weight ranging between 14 to 45 kDa were lost after 16 months of storage as compared to fresh seeds.