Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out on okra seeds during 2018-20, which comprised of three botanicals as seed dressers @ 100g/kg viz. , Pongamia pinnata, Azadiracta indica and Curcuma longa leaf powders along with control. The seeds coated with the above botanicals were stored in three different containers viz. polythene bag, hermetic bag and metal box under ambient conditions and their quality was assessed at a regular interval of three months. A significant decline was observed in all the treatments as the period of ageing was augmented. Seeds coated with Azadiracta indica powder and stored in a metal box recorded significantly higher germination percentage (71.9%), shoot length (8.2 cm), root length (6.0 cm), seedling dry weight (0.195 g), vigour index-I (1021), vigour index-II (14.03), catalase (198.9 mg/protein/min), superoxidase dismustase (132.2 mg/protein/min), dehydrogenase (0.46 OD/g/ml), peroxidase (676 mg/protein/min) and lower electrical conductivity (1.036 μS/cm/g) after 18 months of storage as compared to control. The control showed germination (66.9%), shoot length (6.2 cm), root length (4.2 cm), seedling dry weight (0.166 g), vigour index-I (694), vigour index-II (11.09), catalase, superoxidase dismustase and peroxidase (134.8, 71.0 and 446.0 mg/protein/min) and higher electrical conductivity (1.100 μS/cm/g) at the end of storage period.