The study was aimed to examine the effects of various storage structures and moisture contents on seed quality attributes of quality protein maize seed. The quality protein maize (QPM-1) seed was tested in conventional seed storage containers (Fertilizer sack and earthen pot) and the improved hermetic ones (Metal bin, Super grain bag, and Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bag) at Seed Science and Technology Division, Khumaltar, Nepal during February, 2015 to January 2016. Ten treatments comprising 5 storage devices in two moisture regimes (11% and 9%) replicated thrice and laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Data on temperature, relative humidity (RH), germination, electrical conductivity (EC), seed moisture content (MC) were collected bimonthly. The conventional containers were found liable to the external environmental condition whereas the hermetic structures observed with controlled RH level below 40% in all combinations. Electrical conductivity (EC) for seed vigor showed that hermetic containers provide higher seed vigor than the conventional ones. Up to 4 months all treatments were found statistically at par for germination. A significant difference was observed in each treatment after 4 months where PICS bag & Super grain bag showed best germination followed by metal bin while fertilizer bag & earthen-pot showed poorer and poorest germination respectively till one year. Almost all treatments with lower MC showed better results than the treatments with higher MC. A negative correlation (R 2 =69.7%) was found between EC and Germination. All six figures from 2 to 12 months on MC showed statistically different where hermetic plastic bags were found maintaining MC as initial whereas MC of fertilizer bags and earthen pot was spiked than the basal figure. The finding evidenced that the hermetic containers and low MC are the seed storage approaches for retaining the quality of seed even in an ambient environmental condition for more than a year.Keywords: Seed quality, Germination, storage containers, Electrical conductivity, Moisture content 78 INTRODUCTIONMaize (Zea mays L.) is the second most important staple food crop after rice and a major feed crop in Nepal (KC et al., 2015). Despite the implementation of various seed related projects and active involvement of public and private institutions; still the country has been suffering from unavailability of quality seeds. Quality seed demand in Nepal is apparently tremendous, where lion's share of seeds are imported and country's import has been hiking each year. The official record of Seed Quality Control Centre (SQCC) in 2015 shows that 2745 metric tons of seed was traded in where 1025 million of Nepalese currency redeemed. Formal sector contributes less than 10% of seed demand whereas Informal sector, farmer-to-farmer seed exchange mechanism has been contributing 20-50% of seed demand. Seed replacement rate (SRR) for maize is below 15 % (Joshi, 2015). Hence, production and proper storage of quality seed in community level is regarded as p...
A survey was conducted in order to assess the losses of maize under farmers’ storage conditions in the Western hills of Nepal in 2014. The survey area included Thanapati Village Development Committee (VDC) of Gulmi, Aalamdebi VDC of Syangja, Khasauli VDC of Palpa and Baglung municipality-12, Baglung district. Primary information was collected through semi-structured questionnaires among the heterogenous groups of the farming communities. Survey revealed that about 61% respondents reported the storage pest as the major pests and about 12% respondents reported that field pests as the major pests in the western hills. Maize weevil (Sitophylus zeamais Mostsch.) and Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella Oliv.) were found to be major storage insect pests in surveyed areas. Majority of respondents (39%) presumed on 10-20% losses during storage. Among the other biotic factors, farmers ranked insect (42%), weeds (32%) and diseases (17%) respectively. Maize storage methods had distinct among the surveyed areas compared with Baglung district to other surveyed areas. In Baglung, about (73%) farmers had stored maize in the form of grain whereas in Palpa, Gulmi and Syangja, about (77%) farmers had practice of storing maize with husk for 5-7 months. Approximately, 40% respondents were using open floor in upper stair “Aanti”as a major maize storage place in Palpa, Gulmi and Syangja whereas almost (79%) of respondents were using sacks to store shelled grains in Baglung. Hence, there is ample opportunity to reduce the storage losses of maize depending upon the existing situation.Journal of Maize Research and Development (2015) 1(1):98-105DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.34288
The experiments were conducted from 10th October, 2013 to 10th January, 2014 in Entomology Laboratory of National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal at 26±2ºC and 70±5% RH in order to assess diet performance on the biological parameters of Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton). Four cereals namely corn, rice, millet and wheat were tested solely and mixed with groundnut. Among the eight treatments, corn + groundnut was superior diet in almost biological parameters of C. cephalonica followed by millet + groundnut. The experiment showed that the corn + groundnut are biologically better option for production of robust eggs of C. cephalonica. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i4.11587Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 2(4): 585-588
A study was undertaken to compare the productivity and nutrient compositions of different varieties of fodder triticale (xTriticosecale W.) from 2019 to 2021. The experiments were laid-out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four treatments consisting three varieties of triticale (Winter Max, Crack Jack, and Bolt) and one local wheat variety (as a check), with three replications. The fodder dry matter (DM) yields of evaluated varieties significantly varied (p<0.05) in 2020 and in 2021, although it was non-significant in pooled data analysis of three years. The interaction effects of the varieties and locations on fodder dry matter yield were non-significant in 2019, 2020 and pooled data analysis of three years but was significantly different in 2021. The seed yield was statistically different for the varieties in different years and also in pooled data analysis. Similarly, the interaction effects of varieties and locations were significantly different in seed yields in all three years. The seed yields were significantly different for the fodder triticale varieties in both the locations and pooled data analysis. The interaction effects of varieties and years were significant for seed yields. The average protein percentage was ranged from 8.88 to 10.39%. Bolt performed well in terms of dry matter and Winter Max did well in terms of seed production in different years while Crack Jack was found to be best for the protein percentage. The temporal and spatial effects on varieties indicate the need of the further niche or region-specific studies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.