Effect of Coating on Seed Quality of Radish Seeds during Storage

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted at Seed Technology Laboratory, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur during 2015-16 to study the effect of seed coating treatments on seed quality of radish variety ‘Japanese White’. The seeds were coated with 10 different treatments of polymer, fungicides, insecticide, polymer-fungicides and polymer-insecticide combinations and stored in HDPE (high density polyethylene) inter woven non-laminated bags for 12 months. Data recorded on 10 seed quality parameters at bimonthly interval was analysed following standard statistical methods (CRD). Irrespective of seed coating treatments, the seed deteriorated and the vigour declined with increased fungal infection and insect infestation after twelve months of storage. Amongst various treatments, seed coated with polymer @ 3ml per kg of seed and vitavax 200 @ 2g per kg of seed (T5) recorded the highest germination percentage (90.00%), rate of germination (84.23), seedling length (16.80cm), seedling dry weight (0.096g), seedling vigour index (1523), field emergence (73.00%), lowest electrical conductivity (0.808m mho/cm/g) and lowest fungal infection (4.50%) at the end of 12 months of storage over the untreated control (T0). Lowest insect infestation (0.00%) was recorded in treatment T6 - imidacloprid (Gaucho) @ 4ml per kg of seed over (T0) untreated control (10.33%). The present study concluded that radish seeds coated with polymer @ 3ml per kg of seed and vitavax 200 @ 2g per kg of seed can help maintaining the seed quality up to 12 months of storage under ambient conditions of Palampur.