Effect of Gamma Irradiation and Chemical Seed Treatments on Seed Longevity of Soybean and Green gram

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2016-17at the Department of Seed and Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, UAS, Raichur to know the effect of seed treatment and exposure to gamma irradiation on seed quality of soybean (Glycine max) and green gram (Vigna radiata). Among the different treatments imposed, significantly higher seed germination (70.3.0 and 77.3%), germination rate index (4527 and 4631), peak value of germination (17.3 and 19.3), shoot length (11.55 and 15.9 cm), root length (14.48 and 18.00 cm), seedling vigour index (1828 and 2616), seedling dry weight (0.320 and 0.345 g), dehydrogenase enzyme activity (0.243 and 0.262 OD value) and alpha amylase enzyme activity (24.85 and 25.05 mm) with lowest abnormal seedling (16.0 and 10.5%), dead seed (13.8 and 12.3%) and mean germination time (2.39 and 2.23) were recorded even after nine months storage, respectively in soybean and green gramby treating the seeds with the combination of malathion + thiram each @ 2.0 g/kg of seed as compared to all other treatments and control. Whereas, seeds exposed to gamma irradiation showed a significant reduction in all the above parameters with an increase in gamma irradiation dosage and also with the advancement of storage period in both the crops.