Comparison of hermetic bags with polyethylene-lined polypropylene bags for prolonged storage of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) seeds in Ethiopia

Poor storage facilities expose seeds to deterioration, resulting in low seed quality under a prolonged storage time. We compared the performance of five bag types: Two hermetic bags (Super GrainPro bag [SGB] and Purdue Improved Crop Storage bag [PICS]), with three non-hermetic bags (woven polypropylene bag lined with polyethylene [WPP lined with PE], polypropylene bags [PP], and jute bags) for the storage of faba bean seeds for 24 months. Faba bean seed quality was assessed under ambient conditions after 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of storage. Parameters investigated include seed moisture content, thousand seed weight, germination percentages, vigor index I and II, speed of germination, percentage of insect-damaged seed, and insect counts. Results indicated that there was a significant (P ≤ 0.01) interaction of bag types and duration for all tested parameters. Hermetic bags and WPP lined with PE maintained germination percentage above 90% during 12 months of storage. The vigor index remained above 1600 mg% for hermetic bags and WPP lined with PE during 12 months of storage. However, non-hermetic bags exhibited a rapid drop in vigor index beginning from 6 months of storage. Hermetic bags and WPP lined with PE allowed minimal insect breeding and hence decreased the seed damage caused by insects. The present results demonstrated that in addition to the PICS bags and SGB, the WPP lined with PE can be used for short-period storage for up to 12 months without incurring a significant loss of seed quality. Hence, we recommend the introduction of WPP lined with PE as faba bean seed storage technique under conditions where hermetic bags are inaccessible to resource-poor farmers.