The speed on deterioration of oil-seeds depends on conditions of the storage environment and on particularities of the species, which include the seed chemical composition. Within this study, the changes on quality of sunflower seeds, stored in different packaging types and environmental conditions, were investigated. The packaging used were multiwall Kraft paper and plastic packaging (with and without vacuum), under cold chamber and conventional storage conditions. Seed quality was evaluated by tests of: germination and accelerated aging; besides alterations on oil content, fatty acids profile, and isoenzymatic systems. The storage under cold chamber conditions was more efficient in maintaining physiological quality of sunflower seeds; and under such environment, the Kraft paper packaging was the most adequate. Under conventional storage facility, however, the plastic packaging, sealed with vacuum, has provided better maintenance of physiological quality. Changes in the sunflower seed quality were detected by the enzymatic systems: alcohol dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase. The oil content in seeds decreases over time, regardless of storage condition. The linoleic and oleic acids constituted 80% of the total amount of fatty acids scanned. There have been no significant differences on the fatty acid profiles of the sunflower oil under the different storage conditions studied.

RESUMO -A deterioração é um dos grandes problemas do armazenamento de sementes, principalmente das oleaginosas. Estudos recentes têm evidenciado que a eficiência do teste de condutividade elétrica pode ser influenciada pela temperatura de armazenamento das sementes. Este fato sugere que a deterioração da semente, principalmente em baixas temperaturas de armazenamento, pode não estar relacionada diretamente com a perda da integridade das membranas celulares. Para investigar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas de armazenamento sobre os resultados do teste de condutividade elétrica em sementes de girassol (Helianthus annuus L.), sementes dos híbridos Helio 250 e Helio 251 foram embaladas em papel Kraft multifoliado e armazenadas nas temperaturas: 10 e 25 °C (constante) e 25 °C por seis meses e depois transferidas para 10 ºC até o final do período de armazenamento, sendo que a cada três meses, num total de doze meses, a qualidade fisiológica das sementes foi avaliada pelos testes de germinação, emergência de plântulas, envelhecimento acelerado, condutividade elétrica. Também foi determinado o teor de água das sementes. O teste de condutividade elétrica não é eficiente na detecção do processo de deterioração em sementes de girassol armazenadas sob baixa temperatura.Termos para indexação: Helianthus annuus L., semente oleaginosa, temperatura de armazenamento. ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY TEST TO EVALUATE QUALITY OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS STORED AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURESABSTRACT -Deterioration is a problem in seed storage, particularly for oleaginous seeds.Research has shown that conductivity test results may be influenced by seed storage temperatures suggesting that seed deterioration, especially at low temperatures, does not seem to be directly related to the loss of cell membrane integrity. To investigate the effect of different storage temperatures on electrical conductivity in sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus L.), seeds of two sunflower hybrids, Helio 250 and Helio 251, were packaged in layered Kraft paper and stored at the following temperatures: 10 °C, 25 °C and 25/10 °C. Seed physiological quality was evaluated every three months during a 12 months storage period from germination, seedling emergence, accelerated aging and electrical conductivity tests. Seed water content was also determined. The electrical conductivity test was not efficient in detecting deterioration in sunflower seed stored at low temperatures.

5rESUMo -o teor de água em que a semente é colhida, bem como a temperatura utilizada para a secagem, é fundamental para garantir a qualidade fisiológica das sementes, principalmente as de sorgo, que podem apresentar dormência secundária, por secagem em altas temperaturas. Com a realização deste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade fisiológica das sementes de sorgo, com alto e baixo teor de tanino e armazenadas após secagem, utilizando diferentes temperaturas. Foram utilizadas sementes das cultivares br 305(2,28 g tanino/100 g) e br 310 (0,52 g tanino/100 g), colhidas com teor de água 18-20%, secas à sombra e em secadores artificiais, nas temperaturas de 35 °C, 45 °C e 35 °45 °C, até atingirem 12% de teor de água. Após a secagem, essas sementes foram armazenadas em câmara fria e seca, por 0, 3 e 6 meses. Em cada época de armazenamento, as sementes foram avaliadas pelos testes de germinação, tetrazólio, condutividade elétrica, índice de velocidade de emergência, teste de frio, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e perfis enzimáticos. Foi quantificada, ainda, a concentração de tanino. Foi observado, em sementes com alto tanino, secas à temperatura de 45 °C e armazenadas durante 6 meses, 88,5% de germinação. houve maior porcentagem de dormência em sementes submetidas à secagem aos 35 °C. houve aumento na concentração de tanino, aos seis meses de armazenamento, para ambos os lotes.Termos para indexação: Sorghum bicolor, armazenamento, umidade. DrYinG AnD STorAGE oF hiGh AnD LoW TAnnin SorGhUM SEEDSAbSTrACT -Water content in harvested seed and the drying temperature are fundamental for ensuring seed physiological quality, especially in sorghum, which may show secondary dormancy when dried at high temperatures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of sorghum seeds, with high and low tannin contents, stored after drying at different temperatures. Seeds of the br 305(2.28 g tannin/100 g) and br 310 (0.52 g tannin/100 g) cultivars were collected with a water content of 18-20% and dried in the shade and in artificial dryers at temperatures of 35 °C, 45 °C and 35/45 °C until water content was 12%. After drying, the seeds were stored in a cold, dry chamber for 0, 3 and 6 months. For each storage period the seeds were evaluated with germination, tetrazolium, electric conductivity, emergence velocity index, cold, scanning electron microscopy and enzyme profile tests. Tannin concentration was also measured. high tannin seeds showed 88.5% germination when dried at 45 °C and stored for 6 months. Dormancy increased in both batches for seeds dried at 35 °C and with increased tannin concentration at six months storage.index terms: Sorghum bicolor, temperature, moisture.

-The establishment of citrus orchards with rootstocks from seed with a low physiological quality has been a recurring problem. Low quality seeds directly affect both the final stand and the time required for seedling production. The irregular maturation of fruits, seed recalcitrance, and the high incidence of fungi, make long term storage difficult, even at low temperatures. This study evaluated the storage potential and the use of fungicide treatments on 'Swingle' citrumelo seeds extracted from fruits collected at two maturation stages, green or ripe. The seeds were subjected to a thermal treatment, treated with Derosal, Thiram or Tecto+Captan fungicides, packaged in impermeable polyethylene bags and stored in a cold chamber for nine months. Every three months, the physiological and sanitary qualities of the seeds were evaluated from germination and sanitary tests and also from enzyme profiles. Seeds from green fruits deteriorated less than those from mature fruits; deterioration increased up to nine months of storage; treatment with the Tecto+Captan mixture gave effective pathogen control and maintained seed quality during storage. The germination of the green and ripe seeds is satisfactory (70%) after three months storage. deterioram-se menos que as de frutos maduros, sendo a deterioração crescente até nove meses de armazenamento; o uso da mistura Tecto+Captan é eficiente no controle de patógenos e mantém a qualidade das sementes e ao três meses de armazenamento a germinação das sementes verdes e maduras é satisfatória (70%).Termos para indexação: citrumelo'Swingle', fisiologia, sanidade de sementes, conservação.

The technology developed by breeding programs is applied to coffee seeds; however, after processing and drying, they lose viability within a short period of time, thus making storage unsuitable. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality of coffee seeds submitted to different drying methods and moisture contents during storage. The coffee seeds were submitted to conventional drying (slow shade drying) and fast drying in a static drier until they reached a moisture content of 40, 20, 12 and 5%. After this process, the seeds were stored in a cold chamber for 12 months, and seed quality was evaluated before and during storage by the germination test, electrophoretic patterns of heat resistant proteins, and the activity of isoenzyme systems. Conventional drying (slow shade drying) at 20% of moisture content maintains coffee seed quality until 12 months of storage.

The use of fast technologies, which also permit efficient decisions on seeds lots quality, is fundamental to the seed industry. Five seeds lots of "IAC 80"and five seeds lots "AL Guarani 2002" cultivars were used to test an alternative procedure for evaluating the seed quality of castor seeds by the tetrazolium test. Seeds lots characteristics were determined by tests of germination, first count germination, seedling emergence, speed emergence index and initial stand. The seeds were imbibed in water at 30°C for 3 h for the tetrazolium test and submitted to three preparation methods: (1) a bevel cut in the region opposite to the caruncle; (2) removal of the coats and a bevel cut in the region opposite to the caruncle; (3) removal of the coats and lateral cuts in the seed. After preparation, the seeds were immersed in 0.5 and 1.0% tetrazolium solutions for 6 h at 30°C. Imbibitions in water at 30°C for 3 h, followed by removal of the coats and lateral cuts in the seeds, with immersion in a 1% tetrazolium solution at 30°C for 6 h, is a suitable methodology for evaluating castor seed quality.

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