Changes of enzymes activities in botanical treated aged seed of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cv. CO3 seeds

Changes occurring in seed during aging are very significant for determining seed quality, i.e. seed longevity. An experiment was conducted in Department of Seed Science and Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore to standardize suitable seed dry dressing treatments, using near nano size botanicals that can alleviate the deleterious effect of accelerated ageing and to improve the enzyme activities of soybean aged seeds. Five days aged seeds were treated with 1 h ball milled fenugreek seed powder, leaf powders of ashwagandha, tea and noni @ 2 g kg⁻¹ with 60 min. shaking and evaluated for enzyme activities and field emergence (naturally and artificially aged seeds). Among the treatments seedstreated with fenugreek seed powder has the highest dehydrogenase activity (OD 10 min⁻¹), protein (%), oil content (%), catalase activity, peroxidase activity (OD 10 min⁻¹) (μg H₂O₂ mg⁻¹min⁻¹) with minimum values of electrical conductivity (dSm⁻¹), free fatty acid (%), lipid peroxidation (OD value), lipoxygenase activity (g mol s⁻¹ mg⁻¹). Field emergence (%) was also higher in fenugreek seed powder treated seeds (2 g kg⁻¹ with 60 min).