Influence of conditions and packaging materials on physiological quality parameters of wheat seeds during storage

Abstract

Wheat belongs to the genus Triticum under the Poaceae family and plays a vital role in food and nutritional security. High-quality, vigorous seeds ensure ideal plant populations and better combat early abiotic and biotic challenges. This study evaluated the effects of storage conditions, containers, and packaging materials on the quality of wheat seeds over time. The experiment used a completely randomized design with three factors: temperature (ambient vs. controlled at 22 ± 1 °C), containers (desiccator vs. plastic container), and packaging (cloth, paper, PVC ziplock). Seed quality parameters, including germination, electrical conductivity, lipid peroxidation, and hydrogen peroxide content, were assessed. The results showed that seed quality declined gradually with storage time, but the effects of storage factors varied significantly. After six months, higher germination was observed in controlled temperature with desiccator storage, particularly in cloth (71%) and paper (71%) packaging. No germination was found in ambient conditions with plastic container storage for cloth and paper. Biochemical parameters indicated increased deterioration over time. Controlled temperature storage at 22 ± 1 °C was significantly better for maintaining high seed quality compared to ambient conditions. PCA and cluster analyses proved that desiccator storage was more effective than plastic container, and PVC ziplock packaging also outperformed cloth and paper particularly under ambient conditions. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing storage conditions to preserve wheat seed quality and viability during prolonged storage.