Navjyot KaurPathania, Kartik2021-09-102021-09-102020Pathania, Kartik (2020). Effect of fruit harvest stage and storage on quality and longevity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seeds (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810175596The present investigation entitled “Effect of fruit harvest stage and storage on quality and longevity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seeds” was conducted during 2019 and 2020. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with two factors namely stages of fruit harvest and stages of in-situ storage duration of fruits. The fruits were harvested at 30, 40 and 50 days after anthesis (DAA) and seeds were extracted immediately and after 5, 10 and 15 days of fruit detachment from plants. Percentage of developed seeds, seed weight per fruit (g), 100 seed weight (g), membrane stability index, germination (%), seedling vigour index, speed of germination and storage reserves in seeds viz., starch, total soluble proteins and total amino acids were increased significantly with delay in stage of fruit harvest from 30 to 50 DAA and increased in-situ storage duration of fruits from 0 to 15 days. However, the number of undeveloped seeds, relative water content, mean germination time, total soluble sugars and oil content in seeds decreased with delay in stage of fruit harvest and increased insitu storage duration of fruits from 0 to 15 days during both the years. Total soluble sugars and free amino acids in fruit pulp increased while total soluble proteins and starch content in fruit pulp decreased with delay in stage of fruit harvest and increased in-situ storage duration of fruits during both the years. Seeds extracted from different treatments were stored for 8 months and tested for different parameters at bi-monthly intervals. After 8 months of seed storage, best seed quality parameters were obtained when seeds were extracted from fruits harvested at 50 DAA with in-situ storage of 10 days. Based on two years data, it can be concluded that to obtain maximum seed yield, quality and storability of cucumber seeds, fruits must be harvested at 50 DAA with at least in-situ storage of 10 days.EnglishThesis