Narayanaswamy, S.BHARAMARAJ, BADIGER2017-06-302017-06-302011-01-13Th-9882http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810023819Cotton is an important fiber crop, known as the king of fiber and in recent times it is called as white gold. It belongs to Malvaceae family and genus Gossypium. To maintain the seed quality it is advisable to take polymer coating, fungicide and insecticide treatments. Seed coating provides an opportunity to package effective quantities of material such that they can influence on the seed quality. Hence, a laboratory experiment was conducted to study the influence of seed coating with synthetic polymers, seed treatment chemicals and packaging materials on seed quality and longevity of cotton in the Seed Technology Research Unit, National Seed Project, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. The experiment consists of treatments viz., Control, Polykote @ 3 ml/kg, Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Flowable Thiram @ 2.5 ml/Kg, Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Imidacloprid @ 6 ml/kg, Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Flowable thiram @ 2.5 ml/kg + Imidacloprid @ 6 ml/kg, Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Vitavax 200, Hydroprimed seed, Hydroprimed+ Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Flowable Thiram @ 2.5 ml/Kg + Imidacloprid @ 6 ml/kg. The cotton seeds were treated as per the above treatments, packed in cloth bag and polythene bag and stored under ambient conditions of Bengaluru for ten months. Monthly, Bi-monthly and tri-monthly observations on seed quality parameters were recorded. At the end of storage, seeds treated with Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Vitavax 200 recorded seed moisture content (8.14%), germination (72.33%), seedling length (25.33 cm), seedling dry weight (25.99 mg), vigour index-I (1256), vigour index-II (1296), field emergence (74.00%), electrical conductivity (0.275ms/ppt), pH (6.65), total dehydrogenase activity (2.125) seed infection (nil),seed protein content (16.73%) and seed oil content (16.47%) The seeds stored in polythene bag recoded seed moisture content (7.81%), germination (68.67%), seedling length (25.33cm), seedling dry weight (25.99 mg), vigour index-I (1745), vigour index-II (1792), field emergence (70.17%), electrical conductivity (0.331ms/ppt), pH (6.43), total dehydrogenase activity (2.142), seed protein content (16.73%),seed oil content (16.47%) and seed infection (1.83%). To summarize seeds treated with Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Vitavax 200 (Thiram 37.5% + Carboxyl 37.5%)@ 2g/kg of seed and stored in polythene bag recorded higher seed quality parameters germination (73.67%), seedling length (27.67cm), seedling dry weight (29.27 mg), vigour index-I (2038), vigour index-II (2156), field emergence (75.67%), pH (6.68), seed protein content(17.03%), seed oil content (17.10%), seed infection (nil) and lower electrical conductivity (0.259ms/ppt), seed moisture content(7.65%) compared to other treatments at the end of tenth month of storage. Therefore Cotton hybrids seeds treated with Polykote @ 3 ml/kg + Vitavax 200@ 2g/kg and storing in polythene bag (400 gauge) is advisable to maintain germination satisfactorily for ten months. The seed storabilty can be predicted by subjecting to accelerated ageing test at 45±10C and 100% RH for 48 hours.ennullThesis