Effect of Desiccants and Packaging Materials on Seed Storability in Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Background: Seeds are characterized by rapid deterioration during storage under hot and humid coastal conditions. Physiological changes that occur in seeds during storage are manifested as reduction in seedling vigour indices and percentage germination. This study aimed in prolonging the longevity of soybean seed through packaging materials with or without desiccants. Methods: Each 10 kilograms of soybean seeds treated with Vitavax 200 (2 g/kg of seed) were stored with or without desiccants viz., Calcium Chloride @ 10 g/kg of seeds, Silica gel @ 10 g/kg of seeds and ‘Zeolites’ drying beads @ 35 g/kg of seeds, packed in two different containers viz., Cloth bag and Super grain bag and stored under ambient conditions of coastal environment of Karaikal district, Puducherry (UT). Seed samples were drawn at three months intervals and tested for seed vigour and viability up to nine months. Result: The results revealed that that vitavax treated soybean seeds stored in Super grain bags with desiccants viz., CaCl2 or drying beads exhibited the highest seed germination, seedling length, seedling dry weight, vigour index-I and II than cloth bags after nine months of storage. The loss in seed vigour during storage was only 12 per cent in Super grain bags as compared to 83 per cent in cloth bags indicated that Super grain bag has the potential to effectively contain the influence of environment on seeds stored in it. Hence, it is suggested that the vigour and viability of soybean seeds could be very well prolonged by storing fungicide treated seeds in Super grain bag instead of cloth bags under coastal environment.