Processing on the physical and physiological quality of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds

Abstract: Processing consists of sequential operations aimed at cleaning, classifying, and treating seeds, with the goal of improving the quality of the lot. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the processing stages on the physical and physiological quality of chickpea seeds, cultivar BRS Cícero. Seeds were sampled before processing and after passing through the air screen machine (upper sieve of 12 mm and lower sieve of 7.5 mm), elevators, storage silo, and gravity table (upper discharge, high intermediate, low intermediate, and lower discharge). The seeds were evaluated for moisture content, physical purity, germination test, electrical conductivity test, emergence in sand, emergence speed index, accelerated aging, and tetrazolium test. The processing resulted in increased physical purity and reduced percentage of broken seeds in the lot of chickpea seeds. Seeds collected from the upper and intermediate chutes of the gravity table showed higher germination values. Seed processing using the air screen machine and the gravity table is effective in improving the physical and physiological quality of the lot of chickpea seeds, cultivar BRS Cícero.