Longevity of pepper (Capsicum annuum) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seeds in relation to seed moisture and storage temperature

Ozcoban M., DEMİR İ.

INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, cilt.72, sa.10, ss.589-593, 2002 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 72 Sayı: 10
  • Basım Tarihi: 2002
  • Dergi Adı: INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.589-593
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: crop physiology, seed storage, germination, electrical conductivity, seedling emergence, PREDICTION
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

An experiment was conducted for 18 months to observe changes in the longevity of pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.) and watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (thunb) Matsum & Nakai] seeds. Seeds were stored at 10 and 20degreesC, with 8, 10, 12, and 14% moisture contents for 18 months. Total germination, at day 3, emergence percentage and conductivity tests were carried out in samples taken every 3 months. At both storage temperatures, seeds that stored 8-10% moisture contents maintained high viability (greater than or equal to80%) up to 18 months. At higher moisture levels (12-14%) reduction in total germination (44 and 67% in pepper, 82 and 67% in watermelon at 14% for 10 and 20degreesC), germination at day 3 (by the 9th month it was 0% in pepper and varied between 1 and 65% in watermelon) and emergence (between 30 and 50% in pepper and between 38 and 77% in watermelon) was observed. Conductivity tests did not give consistent readings with changes in viability and emergence. Pepper seeds with 8 and 10% and watermelon with 8 and 14% of moisture could be stored at room temperature (20degreesC) for up to 18 months. This was at greater than or equal to70-75 air relative humidity for these species.