Effect of pickings on seed quality and deterioration studies in cotton
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
Cotton is the major fibre and industrial crop of the world which is known as “white gold” and it is a
member of the malvaceae family of Gossypium. The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of
picking on cotton seed quality. The material comprised of three varieties each of Gossypicum hirsutum (H – 1098
(I), H – 1117 and H - 1236) and Gossypium arborium (HD – 123, HD – 324, HD – 432). Three pickings from each
variety after fifty per cent boll opening and seed quality was evaluated. It was found that seeds collected under
second picking had higher vigour in terms of seed weight, seed density, seed germination percent, seedling length,
seedling dry weight, lower electrical conductivity and showed higher antioxidant enzyme activity (CAT, POD,
SOD) in comparison to other pickings during both year in American and desi cotton varieties.
After evaluating all three pickings, seeds were stored for fifteen months in plastic container at 20
0
C
with 6% moisture content and seed quality was evaluated after five, ten and fifteen months each. After evaluating
seed quality, it was found that storage affected seed vigour and quality adversely. Though, all the pickings showed
decrease in vigour but less decrease was observed in second picking seeds in comparison to first and third
pickings. After evaluating antioxidant enzyme activity, it was observed that activity of these enzymes decreased
during storage which was much prominent after fifteen months of storage of third picking seeds of all the
varieties. After fifteen months of storage, seeds were subjected to different priming treatments to assess its effect
on physiological and field parameters. In all the treatments with GA3, PEG, KH
2PO
4
, KNO3
and hydration,
enhancement was noticed in germination, seedling length, seedling dry weight, VI-I and VI-II, low electrical
conductivity and mean germination time.
Overall, the treatment with GA3
was found commonly superior in all variety-lot combinations for
enhancing standard germination, final field emergence and reducing the mean emergence time (MET).
Description
Keywords
Harvesting, Sowing, Cotton, Enzymes, Germinability, Storage, Developmental stages, Drying, Proteins, Electrical conductivity