Mohammad Mehrabi Kooshki, Ali Moradi, Hamidreza Balouchi, Roya Behboud, Hojatollah Latifmanesh,
Volume 9, Issue 1 ((Spring and Summer) 2022)
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction: Pulses are among the best sources of plant protein and important components of crop rotation, which in recent years, have been considered one of the major options for plant research. Seed storage is one of the important traits in legume breeding. Storage temperature, seed moisture content, and storage duration are the most important factors affecting seed quality during storage. Inappropriate storage conditions lead to deterioration and reduction of seed quality during storage, which is severely affected by the environmental conditions of storage.
Materials and Methods: This research was conducted at the Seed Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University in 2014 as a three-way factorial based on the completely randomized design with 5 replications of 20 seeds. Seeds with moisture content at 5 levels (6, 10, 14, 18, and 22%) and storage temperature at 4 levels (15, 25, 35 and 45 °C) were stored for 9 months (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 and 270 days). After sampling at the end of each month, a standard seed germination test was done using the pleated paper method in a germinator at 25 °C for 10 days. Also, an electrical conductivity test of the electrolytes leaked from the seeds incubated for 24h in water at 20 ˚C was done with 4 replicates. Some germination attributes and electrical conductivity of the electrolytes leaked from the seeds were measured according to standard methods.
Results: According to the results, interaction effects of storage temperature, seed moisture content, and storage duration on germination indices and electrical conductivity of bean seeds were significant (P<0.1). The germination trend during storage at 15 °C and seed moisture content of 6% decreased from 94% to 81% after 270 days of storage, so that germination decreased to 35% under similar moisture content after 270 days of storage as temperature increased from 15 to 45 °C. As the storage time passed, electrical conductivity increased and this increase was more pronounced at higher temperatures. Viability constants were calculated 9 months after storage using the seed viability equation, in which KE, CH, CW, and CQ were calculated -5.39697, 0.03201, 2.13041, and 0.000017, respectively.
Conclusions: The results showed that the electrical conductivity of the leaked material increased with increasing storage temperature and seed moisture content, which led to lower viability of seeds. At 15 °C and 6% seed moisture content provided better conditions for seed survival during the 9-month storage time compared with all other temperatures and moistures and had the lowest rate of deterioration. The results showed that with increasing seed temperature and moisture so that they had to lowest electrical conductivity of the leaked material from seeds and deterioration rate.
Highlights:
1- Over storage duration, the electrical conductivity of materials leaked from seeds increased.
2- With increasing moisture content up to 22% and storage temperature up to 45 °C, the electrical conductivity of the material leaked from seeds increased.
3- Bean seed viability coefficients were calculated to evaluate seed viability under controlled storage conditions.
Ramin Zeilabpour, Ali Moradi, Hamidreza Balouchi, Alireza Yadavi, Hojatollah Latifmanesh,
Volume 12, Issue 2 ((Autumn & Winter) 2026)
Abstract
Objective: Seed aging in oilseeds such as sesame is a major storage challenge, reducing germination quality and seedling vigor. The high-oil cultivar Darab‑1 is highly sensitive to storage conditions (temperature, moisture, and time). In this study, the effects of different Pix concentrations in interaction with temperature, moisture, and storage duration were investigated on germination and biochemical traits of seeds to determine the possibility of improving seed quality stability during storage.
Methods: The experiment was conducted as a four‑factor factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with three replications. The studied factors were storage temperature (15, 25, and 35°C), seed moisture content (9, 12, and 15%), Pix concentration (0, 3000, and 4500 mg L-1), and storage duration (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days). After the storage period, seed physiological traits including germination percentage and rate, root and shoot length, seedling dry weight, vigor index, α‑amylase activity, and electrolyte leakage were measured.
Results: Increasing temperature, moisture, and storage duration accelerated seed aging. After 180 days, electrolyte leakage in control seeds increased from 21.47 to 72.72% when storage temperature rose from 15 to 25°C (at 9% moisture), indicating a 54% increase in membrane leakage, while Pix at 3000 mg/L reduced it by 19–80%. α-amylase activity decreased with seed deterioration, but Pix at 3000 mg/L maintained the highest enzyme activity (15.5 vs. 16.3 nmol seed-1min-1 after 180 days). Germination percentage and rate, seedling length and dry weight, and vigor index also declined with aging; however, Pix treatment, especially at 3000 mg L-1, significantly moderated these reductions.
Conclusions: Storage at high temperature and moisture accelerated sesame seed deterioration, reducing germination and α‑amylase activity while increasing membrane damage. Pix at 3000 mg L-1 was the most effective treatment, maintaining seed vigor and enzyme activity and reducing electrolyte leakage. Therefore, seed treatment with 3000 mg L-1 Pix before storage, especially at 15°C and 9% moisture content, can be recommended as an effective strategy to extend seed longevity and maintain quality during medium term storage.
Highlights:
- Pix at 3000 mg/L effectively prevented the decline in physiological traits of sesame seeds during storage and maintained germination potential and seed vigor.
- Increased temperature, moisture, and storage duration reduced α‑amylase activity and increased electrolyte leakage, indicating accelerated physiological seed aging.
- Pix treatment improved seed quality under warm and humid storage conditions by reducing electrolyte leakage and enhancing membrane stability, suggesting its practical application for extending seed longevity.
