TITLE:
Influence of Water Content on the Quality of Pigeonpea Seeds
AUTHORS:
Cristiane Fernandes Lisboa, Rodrigo Starnek Lopes De Araújo, Itamar Rosa Teixeira, José Hortêncio Mota, Alessandro Guerra Da Silva, Marcos Eduardo Viana De Araújo, Deyner Damas Aguiar Silva, Edgar Estevam França, Isneider Luiz Silva, Fernando Ribeiro Teles De Camargo
KEYWORDS:
Cajanus cajan L., Physiologic Deterioration, Seed Quality, Viability and Vigour
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.10,
September
12,
2017
ABSTRACT: The species Cajanus cajan L.
where pigeonpea is from presents a harvest potential in tropical regions for it
is used as human and animal feed, besides being used as green fertilizer.
However, the harvest area of this Fabaceae is still insignificant, due to
especially the lack of quality seeds. In this context, it is possible to affirm
that drying and store are portrayed as important steps for obtaining superior
quality seeds. The aim of this study is to evaluate the physiologic quality of
dwarf pigeonpea seeds, with different water content during storage. A factorial
scheme 3 × 6 was adopted in the delimitation completely randomized, with four
replications. Treatments were constituted by the combination of lots of seeds
containing three different water contents (11%, 14% and
16%), submitted to a 10-month storage period, with evaluations every two months
(0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10). Seeds were stocked in a bag type kraft under normal lab
conditions, that is, no control. Physiologic quality of the seeds was evaluated
through the following tests: Germination Pattern Test—GPT,
first count of germination, accelerated aging and electric conductivity. It can
be concluded that pigeonpea with hard seeds containing water content at 11% existing
superior physiologic quality throughout the 10-month storage, under no controlled condition, certainly promoted by the
less intense breathing from the
reserves cumulated in the seed lot. Pigeonpea seeds storage with water content superior to 14% promotes a sharp decrease of physiologic quality, due
to an increase in metabolic activity.