Author(s): P.K. BANDOPADHYAY, SANJOY SHIL, SUDIP DHAR & SWAMINATH GUPTA

Abstract: Under West Bengal conditions, maintenance of vigour and viability of green gram seed (Vigna radiata Wilczek L) is a serious problem from harvest to next sowing. To over come this problem, experiments were conducted under ambient laboratory conditions to slow down the ageing process of the seeds during storage. High vigorous seeds of 2-3 months old were taken and subjected to Hydration dehydration (H-D), Moisture-equilibration & drying (ME – D) and dry – dressings with powdered plant materials of Ashwagandha root (200 mg kg-1), Zinger rhizome (100 mg kg-1), Turmeric rhizome (100 mg kg-1), Trigonella seeds (200 mg kg-1), jute leaf (100 mg kg-1) and pharmaceutical preparations of vit C (celin tablet) and salicylic acid (Disprin tablet) were done. Among the treatments plain H – D with water for 3 hours and slow imbibition for 48 hours with ME – D showed significantly good effect over untreated control in respect of germination percentage and seedling growth. The treatment effect were magnified under accelerated (400C + 980% R.H.) and natural ageing (27  50C and 73  7% R.H.) conditions where as in dry dressing with powered plant materials had significant beneficial effect in maintaining seed vigour and viability over control. Among the treatments with powdered plant material such as Turmeric rhizome and jute leaf as well as pharmaceutical preparation vit C (celin tablet) had highly beneficial effect under accelerated and natural ageing conditions. Peroxidase enzyme assay study showed betterment effect in all the treatments indicating that free-radical formation due to ageing quenched by the treatments over control.

Download Full Article: Click Here