EFFECT OF SEED PELLETING, PACKAGING MATERIALS AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON DIRECT SEEDING, BULB YIELD, SEED LONGEVITY AND QUALITY IN ONION (Allium cepa L.) 3781
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Date
2023-10
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jau junagadh
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Effect of seed pelleting, packaging materials
and storage conditions on direct seeding, bulb yield, seed longevity and quality in
onion (Allium cepa L.)” was carried out, wherein one field experiment was conducted
during rabi 2020-21 at the Sagdividi Farm, Department of Seed Science and Technology,
College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, while two laboratory
experiments were carried out from summer 2020 and onwards at the Seed Testing
Laboratory, Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture,
Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.
In first laboratory trial, effect of different seed pelleting treatments [P1: Raw seed
(Absolute control), P2: Standard pellet (Control) (Carbendazim), P3: Thiamethoxam, P4:
Seed priming + Standard pellet, P5: Nano nutrition (Zn & Fe), P6: Biostimulant mixture,
P7: Biological (Bacillus spp.), P8: Micronutrients mixture 1 (Regular phosphorus,
manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum) and P9: Micronutrients mixture 2
(Nano phosphorus, potassium, manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum)] on
onion seeds were evaluated under cold storage condition up to fourteen months
(germination went below 70 % as per ISTA standards). After seed pelleting treatments, the
seeds were stored in cold storage conditions and the observations on germination
percentage, seedling length (cm), seedling dry weight (mg), seedling vigour index I and
seedling vigour index II were recorded at two months interval up to fourteen month of
storage and were analyzed using Completely Randomized Design as per the method
suggested by Panse and Sukhatme (1985).
In field trial, the same 9 different seed pelleting treatments were evaluated with two
different sowing methods (S1: Transplanting and S2: Direct seeding) for bulb yield and
quality of onion. The characters viz., plant height at harvesting (cm), average leaf length
(cm), number of leaves per plant, days to maturity, polar diameter (cm), equatorial
diameter (cm), bulb size index (cm2
), number of bulbs per plot, bulb yield per plot (kg),
average bulb weight (g), splitters (%), marketable bulb yield (kg), bolting percentage per
plot and TSS (%) were recorded and analyzed using Randomized Block Design (Factorial)
as per the method suggested by Cochran and Cox (1957).
In the third storage trial under laboratory condition, three different factors, storage
conditions [S1: Ambient storage condition and S2: Cold storage condition (10 + 2°C)];
packaging materials (P1: Plastic storage box, P2: Air tight plastic container, P3:
Abstract
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Alluminium foil bag and P4: Alluminium foil bag with vacuum packing) and seed
treatments (T1: Control, T2: Neem seed kernel powder 5g/kg, T3: Sweet flag rhizome
powder 5g/kg and T4: Black pepper powder 5g/kg) were evaluated. After giving the seed
treatments, the seeds were packed in different packaging materials as per treatment
combinations and stored in two different storage conditions and the observations viz.,
germination percentage, seedling length (cm), seedling dry weight (mg), seedling vigour
index I, seedling vigour index II and seed moisture content (%) were recorded at two
months interval up to fourteen month of storage and the results were analyzed as per the
method suggested by Cochran and Cox (1957).
Among the seed pelleting treatments, seeds pelleted with micronutrient mixture 2
(P9: Nano phosphorus, potassium, manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum)
recorded the maximum germination and vigour under cold storage condition, could be
attributed to active materials present in micronutrient mixture which might synergistically
interact with amino acids especially tryptophan to form IAA in germinating seeds
resulting in enhancement in seedling growth.
Direct seeding (S2) of seeds pelleted with micronutrient mixture 2 (P9: Nano
phosphorus, potassium, manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum) recorded the
highest marketable bulb yield with its yield contributing characters and quality characters
with the lowest days to maturity and splitters in comparison to other treatment
combinations. Seed pelleting with micronutrients not only improves the health and
physiological quality of seeds by way of protecting the seeds from fungal and insect attack
but also improves seed and soil relationships through enriching the Rhizosphere region of
seed. Seed pelleting of tiny seeds like onion helps in precision sowing with added
advantages of better establishment and increased productivity. Pelleted seeds reduced the
seed rate in comparison to non-pelleted seed and it also helps in avoiding thinning and gap
filling operations because of precision planting and uniform crop stand, resulted into
higher marketable bulb yield as reflected in better bulb size in pelleted seeds than non pelleted seeds.
Seeds packed in alluminium foil bag with vaccum packing after seed treatment with
sweet flag rhizome powder @ 5g/kg seed and stored in cold storage condition recorded the
highest germination percentage and vigour after fourteen month of storage period. This
was mainly due to treating the seeds with compatible organics and it played an effective
role in inhibiting the storage microflora with packing materials like alluminium foil bag
with vaccum packing, which acted as moisture entry barriers.
In storage trials, germination percentage and other quality parameters were
decreased gradually with increased in storage period, while seed moisture content in the
seeds were increased with increased in storage period; this was concluded that the quality
of seed degraded in storage condition.
In nut shell, it can be concluded that, seed pelleted with micronutrient mixture 2 (P9:
Nano phosphorus, potassium, manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum) and
stored in cold storage condition was found to be the best treatment gave good germination
along with other seed quality parameters after fourteen month of storage. Onion seed
packed in alluminium foil bag with vacuum packing after seed treatment with sweet flag
rhizome powder @ 5g/kg seed and stored in cold storage condition was found to be the
best treatment gave good germination along with other seed quality parameters after
fourteen month of storage. Direct seeding of seeds pelleted with micronutrient mixture 2
(P9: Nano phosphorus, potassium, manganese, sulphur, copper, zinc and molybdenum)
was found to the best treatment gave good field performance with increased bulb yield.