STORABILITY OF ONION SEEDS AT LOW MOISTURE LEVELS

Abstract

The objective of the study was to asses the storability of onion seeds at reduced
seed moisture levels in ambient condition so as to know how well it compared
with that under medium term conditions of the genebank. Seed moisture levels
chosen ranged from 7.5 to 1.66 per cent. Germination and radical lengths were
taken as criteria to asses the seed storability. Seeds stored at 4.0 - 4.5 per
cent moisture (over silica gel) at ambient temperature retained viability comparable
to those at 7.5 per cent moisture at +100 C upto 12 months of storage. In
an another experiment, laminated aluminium foil (LAF) packets and metal cans
with rubber lined caps werre used as containers for seeds at moisture levels
of 2.8 and 1.6 per cent. Seeds. stored in LAF pouches showed higher vigour
(as measured by radical lengths) than those stored in metal cans. Vigour was
higher in seeds at lower moisture level. Seed lots of different vigour did not
retain same relative vigour rating when exposed to stress condition of accelerated
ageing.