Effect of Storage Conditions on the Seed Quality of Freshly Harvested High Moisture Undried rice Seeds Cv. Co 51

Abstract

Storing the freshly harvested high moisture seeds will induce the deterioration faster; it affects the storability of the seed material. The present study was carried out to access the appropriate storage condition to mitigate the seed quality loss of the freshly harvested un-dried seeds. The freshly harvested high moisture rice seeds were transported from Cauveri delta basin and stored under cold and ambient storage condition for 15 days in Department of Seed Science andTechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. In order to know the effectiveness of the storage condition, the seeds are drawn at alternative days and the seed quality were studied. The seeds under cold storage performed better than ambient storage condition, in the speed of germination, germination (%), seedling length, dry matter production and vigor index. The seeds stored under cold storage condition recorded higher germination (45) which was 12% higher than seeds stored under ambient storage and it was only (33). Seeds stored under cold storage condition recorded higher vigor index (968) on 15 days after storage and the ambient storage recorded minimum vigor index (670). The moisture content was under decreasing pattern, in cold and ambient storage, the moisture content was (23.8%) to (21%) and (23.0%) and (15.8 %) after 15 days of storage.transported to the drying yards for drying. Keeping the seeds with high moisture content will cause seed quality losses. The high seed moisture leads to the reduction of seed germination, changes in free fatty acid levels and EC, induction of temperature and decrease in protein contents etc. Resulting the total seed quality loss.With this background in consideration, the present study was taken up to investigate the effects of storage conditions on the seed quality of freshly harvested rice seed with high moisture content, before going to drying and storage. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe genetically pure and freshly harvested seeds of rice cv. CO 51 were collected from Cauveri delta basin, Tanjore, Needamangalam and were cleaned and transported to the Department of Seed Science and Technology, TNAU, Coimbatore. The seeds were graded using the recommended sieve size which constituted the research materials for the present investigation. Freshly harvested rice seeds of cv. CO 51 with a high moisture content of 23.80% were packed in moisture pervious container viz., cloth bag and kept for storage under the cold and ambient condition and subsequently drawn at alternative days up to 15 days and the following seed quality parameters were recorded. Speed of Germination:Four replicates of twenty -five seeds each were used to test the speed of germination of different varieties. The seeds showing radicle protrusion were counted daily from the third day after sowing until the seventh day. From the number of seeds germinated on each day, the speed of germination was calculated using the following formula and the results were expressed in number (Maguire, 1962)..Speed of germination = + + … … … . . + Moisture...