Influence of artificial ageing test on seed quality changes in Cassia angustifolia Vahl

Deterioration of seed is a complex physiological and biochemical process leading to failure of germination capacity. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of seed ageing on senna and analyzed the physiological causes for deterioration in artificially aged seeds. The senna seeds were artificially aged for 2,4 and 6 days at 40 ± 10C and 98 ± 2% RH and the non-aged seeds were considered as control. From the results, it is concluded that physiological parameters like germination percentage, hard seed %, root length, shoot length, dry matter production, vigour index gradually decreased and abnormal seedling % and electrical conductivity was increased with increase in period of artificial ageing (two days of ageing to six days of ageing) in senna. The accelerated ageing technique was adopted to precisely predict the storage behaviour of seeds and also artificial ageing conditions (2 days) revealed the beneficial effects to increase the germination percentage (80%) and vigour index (8.8) of seeds. It might be due to breaking the hard seed coat dormancy in the freshly harvested senna seeds.