Techniques to enhance storage potential of jatropha (Jatropha curcas L) seeds

Transcription

1 Indian J. Agric. Res., (6) 2015 : 2-6 Print ISSN:07-85 / Online ISSN:09-058X AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE Techniques to enhance storage potential of jatropha (Jatropha curcas L) seeds M. Prakash, G. Sathiya Narayanan and M. Devendran Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-8 002, India. Received: Accepted: DOI: /ijare.vi6.67 ABSTRACT Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effect of different pre storage treatments and packaging materials on storability of Jatropha seeds. The treatments included halogen 3g kg -1, 2g kg -1 and packed in three different containers viz., Aluminium container, Polythene bag and Cloth bag. The seeds were evaluated at monthly intervals upto ten months and observations on germination percent and vigour index were recorded in two varieties viz., Chidambaram local and Sirkali local. The results revealed that Jatropha seeds treated with halogen mixture and stored in aluminium container could be stored upto 7 months without loss in vigour and viability. Key words: Jatropha, Seed treatment, Storage potential. INTRODUCTION Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L) is a genus of approximately 175 succulent plants, shrubs and trees from the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to Central America and has become materialized in many tropical and sub tropical areas, including India, Africa and North America. Orginating in the Carribean, Jatropha spread as a valuable hedge plant to Africa and Asia by portugese. The mature small trees bear separate male and female flowers, and do not grow very tall. The hardy jatropha is resistant to drought and pests and produces seeds containing 27- percent oil. Currently, the oil from Jatropha curcas seeds is used for making biodiesel fuel in Phillippines and in Brazil where it grows naturally and in plantations in the Southeast, and the North/Northeast Brazil. Likewise, Jatropha is being promoted as an easily grown crop in hundreds of projects throughout India and other developing countries. Tamil Nadu is endowed with varied agro climatic conditions. Jatropha can be grown in all climatic conditions prevailing in Tamil Nadu but this potential has not been fully exploited. In seed production, the pre harvest and post harvest factors are to be considered as they decide the quality of the seeds produced. Seed storage is another important vista which is very essential to realize the gains from the pains taken to produce seeds. However, the ways and means have to be standardized to improve storability and viability of seeds. The present study was carried out in an attempt to determine the suitable seed treatment and packaging material for prolonged storage of Jatropha seeds. *Corresponding author s geeth_prakash@yahoo.co.in. METERIALS AND METHODS The experiment was conducted in the Seed Testing laboratory in the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar. The bulk seeds of Jatropha cv. Chidambaram Local and Sirkali Local were graded for uniformity using perforated metal sieves of size 12 mm. and dried to uniform moisture content of eight percent. The seeds were given with two different seed treatments viz., Halogen mixture@ 3g kg -1 of seed (T 1 ), 2g kg -1 of seed (T 2 ) and untreated seeds (T 0 ) were used as control. The treated seeds (T 1 & T 2 ) and untreated seeds (T 0 ) were packed in three different containers viz., Aluminium container (C 1 ), Polythene bag (C 2 ) and Cloth bag (C 3 ) and were stored under ambient condition. The stored seeds were evaluated at monthly intervals to assess the seed quality parameters. The experiment was designed adopting FCRD with three replications. Observations on germination percent and vigour index were recorded and data were subjected to statistical analysis and results were discussed below. Seed treatment To - Control T 1 - Halogen mixture (Chlorine kg -1 seeds T 2 - kg -1 seeds Containers C 1 - Aluminium container C 2 - Polythene bag C 3 - Cloth bag

2 Volume Issue 6, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Jatropha is an emerging biodiesel crop of our country. Seeds should be maintained well from harvest to next sowing season without appreciable loss in vigour and viability. Seed quality maintenance especially under storage conditions is important. Any treatment produce that will go along with the normally routine in post harvest operation of seeds would be most welcome and be acceptable for adoption. In the present study, halogen treated seeds of Chidambaram local and Sirkali local registered highest germination of 84 percent and 66 percent respectively (Tables 1, 3) compared to other treatments. Significant result was obtained due to container throughout the period of storage. Highest germination (61.69 % and.03 %) were recorded in seeds stored in aluminum container followed by polythene bag (.99 % and.65 %) and lowest value was recorded in cloth bag (.85 % and. %) respectively for the two varieties. In general, among different treatments, halogen treated seeds registered higher germination throughout the storage period in aluminium container. Dharmalingam et al. (2000) suggested that chlorine in halogen mixture stabilizes the double bonds of saturated fatty acid present in the lipoprotien (Biomembranes) and extended the viability of seeds. Fly ash seed pelleting enhanced storability of seeds in bhendi (Prakash et al., 2011) and black gram (Prakash et al., 2012). At the end of the first month of storage, significantly highest germination was noticed in the seeds treated with halogen mixture and thiram treated seeds (88%), stored in aluminium containers in Chidambaram local and only in halogen mixture treated seeds (84 %) in Sirkali local whereas the lowest germination ( 84% and % ) was recorded by the untreated seeds in both the varieties viz., Chidambaram local and sirkali local respectively. At the end of tenth month of storage, significantly higher germination was noticed in halogen mixture treated seeds and stored in aluminium containers(% in both the varieties). Significantly lowest germination (34 % and %) was noticed in control in both the varieties respectively. Among the containers used, the lower germination was recorded seeds stored in cloth bag (43 % and %) which may be due to permeable nature of container that exposed the seeds to alterations in atmospheric condition that accelerated the deterioration rate of seeds. But seeds stored in aluminium containers and polythene bags which were classified as resistant and vapour proof container recorded higher germination after two months of storage. Superiority of moisture vapour proof container in preservation of seed quality was already reported by Narayanasamy (1999) in groundnut, Shinde et al.(1999) in sunflower, Gowda and Gowda (1999) in sorghum hybrids, Renganayaki (2001) in sunflower and Rajasekaran (2001) in niger seeds. Mid storage corrections (Sathiya Narayanan TABLE 1: Effect of container, treatment and period of storage on germination (%) in Jatropha curcas cv Chidambaram local. M 1 84 (.71) M 2 M 3 M 4 (.) M 5 54 (.) M 6 53 M 7 M 8 M 9 35 (.26) M Mean (.35) 88 (69.91) 85 (67.) (63.96) 77 (61.) (59.) (41.93) 67 (.86) 88 (69.91) (63.) 72 (58.09) 62.0 (.) 89 (.78) (63.91) 73 (59.21) (.11) (53.02) (.02) (.54) (.22) (.) (.) 61 (.87) (.71) 72 (.) (.) (.) (.19) 26 (.06) (.06) (43.47) 92 (73.92) 84 (66.53) (.71) (.) (.0) (.85) (.73) 81 (.61) (58.09) 66 (.00) (.) (.00) (.04) (33.11) (33.94) 26 (.43) 83 (66.47) (.66) (.29) (.12) (.37) (.77) (33.78) (33.) (.) (.21) (.75) (.77) (.85) (33.94) (29.) (29.) (.) (29.) (63.96) 75 (.27) (.) (.) (.78) (.) (.) (.99) (.71) (.15) 59 (.) (.) 27 (.26) (.61) 77 (61.81) 70 (.21) 61 (.62) (.) (.33) 43 (41.) (37.96) (34.82) 29 (.99) (33.) 43 (.27) CD(p=0.05) 0.867** 0.867** 1.583** 1.2** 2.3** 2.3 NS 4.7**

3 5 INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH TABLE 2: Effect of container, treatment and period of storage on vigor index in Jatropha curcas cv Chidambaram local. M M M M M M M M M M Mean CD(p=0.05) 78.11** 78.11** 1.6** 135.2** 7.0** 7.0 NS 7.82** TABLE 3: Effect of container, treatment and period of storage on germination (%) in Jatropha scurcas cv Sirkali local. M 1 M 2 M 3 M 4 (.) M 5 M 6 (43.05) M 7 M 8 M 9 (.85) M 10 Mean (.) 84 (66.53) (63.) (.10) (.) (.15) (.15) 62 (.79) (.71) 70 (.08) (.) (.) 58 (.33) (.94) 71 (.91) 65 (54.15) (53.20) (.81) 54 (47.69) (.) (43.07) (41.) (.) (.29) (.) (.) (.85) 63 (.85) (.) (.) (66.15) (.85) (.54) (.83) 54 (47.29) (47.29) (.85) (.85) (.66) (.79) (.59) 53 (47.17) (.) (.) (.20) (.41) (.83) 33 (35.23) (.) (43.25) (.85) (29.) (.) (29.) 34 (35.) (.07) (.85) (.85) 41 (.29) (.07) (.85) (.85) (.02) (.61) (.) (.77) (.20) (.83) (34.) (33.) (.27) (.87) (.) CD(p=0.05) 0.7** 0.7** 1.3** 1.6** 2.3** 2.3 NS 4.0"NS et al., 2011) and seed enhancement techniques (Sathiya Narayanan et al., 2012) also helped to improve storage life of seeds. Superiority of moisture vapour proof container in preservation of seed quality characters were reported by Sirmathi (1997) in amla, Parashivamuthy et al. (1994) in pea and Dharmalingam et al. (2000) in pulses. Higher vigour index was observed in seeds stored in aluminium container (26 and 25) and it was followed by seeds stored in polythene bag (2069 and 1966) in both the varieties respectively. The lowest vigour index (1717 and 10) was observed in seeds stored in cloth bag. Significant highest vigour was noticed in halogen mixture (T 1 ) and lowest vigour index was noticed in control (T 0 ). Highest vigour index was recorded in seed stored in aluminium container at the 1 st month of storage for Chidambaram local and sirkali local varieties (Tables 2,4). Significant differences due to seed treatment were observed for vigour index from first month of storage. Significantly highest vigour index (17) was noticed in halogen treated

4 Volume Issue 6, TABLE 4: Effect of container, treatment and period of storage on vigor index in Jatropha scurcas cv Sirkali local. M M M M M M M M M M Mean CD(p=0.05) 59.** 59.** ** ** ** "NS "NS seeds (T 1 ) and lowest vigour index (28) was noticed in control (T 0 ) in sirkali local variety. Vigour of seeds measured by seedling parameters in the present study revealed that seedling characters were reduced with advances in storage period. Similar findings were made by Nautiyal and Joshi (1991) in groundnut and Kathiravan (2007) in jatropha. However, seeds treated with halogen mixture and stored in aluminum container gave higher vigour indices over control. Hence from the present study, it can be concluded that seeds treated with halogen mixture showed lesser deterioration rate due to stabilization of double bonds in unsaturated fatty acid and reduction of lipid peroxidation as suggested by Basu (1994). Storage of seeds is normally influenced by various factors viz., seed treatment, storage containers, initial quality of the seed and storage atmosphere (Justic and Bass, 1978). Among these, the storage container plays a major role in preservation of seed quality for longer duration as it influences the moisture content of the seed and in turn its seed quality to a greater extent. Thus the study revealed that the jatropha seeds should be stored in aluminium container and treated with halogen mixture for long-term storage. REFERENCES Dharmalingam, C., Vasantha, R. Malarkodi K. and Lakshmi. S. (2000). Halogenation treatment to safeguard pulse seed in storage under ambient condition. Seed Res., : -. Basu, R.N. (1994). An Appraisal of research on wet and dry physiological seed treatment and their applicability with special reference to tropical and sub-tropical countries, Seed Sci. and Technol., 22: Gowda, B. and Gowda. S.J. (1999). Studies on physical and quality characters as influenced by seed size in sunflower. Crop Res., 18: 5-7. Justice, OL and Bass. L.N. (1978). Principles and practices of storage. Agricultural hand book Number 6. USDA. Washington, D.C. Pp. 9. Kathiravan, M., Ponnuswamy A.S. and Vanitha. C. (2007). Influence of dry dressing treatments on seed storability in jatropha (Jatropha curcas L. ). Res. on Crops. 8: 7-7. Narayanasamy, S. (1999). Effect of locations and containers on storability of ground nut. Curr. Res., : Nautiayl, P.C. and Joshi Y.C. (1991). Storage of Rabi summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) with calcium chloride for prolonged seed viability, vigour. Trop. Sci., : Parashivamuthy, G.V., Jagadish and Gowda. Bomme (1994). Effect of containers and seed treatments on the storability of field bean. Seed Tech. News., : 21. Prakash, M., Sathyanarayanan, G. Sunilkumar B. and Anandaraj. P. (2011). Effect of flyash seed pelleting on storability in bhendi. Proceedings of National Conference on Flyash, organized by C-FARM, at Hyderabad, pp-ix 6.1- IX Prakash, M., Sathiya narayanan. G., Padmavathi. S. and Sunil Kumar B. (2012). Enhancing seed longeivity with fly ash treatment in black gram. Research Journal Agricultural Sciences., 3 : 4-0 Rajasekaran, R. (2001). Seed production, processing and storage studies in niger. M.Sc., (Ag.) Thesis, TNAU, Coimbatore.

5 6 INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Renganayaki, P.R. (2001). Seed production and seed senescence in sunflower (Helianthus annus) KBSH-1. Ph.D Thesis, TNAU, Coimbatore. Sathya narayanan, G., Prakash, M. Sunilkumar, B. Padmavathy, S. Srimathi P. and Kalavathy. D. (2011). Physiological basis of mid storage correction in oilseeds. In : Seed physiology of Crops.(Ed. Prakash. M.). Satish Serial Publishing House. New Delhi. Pp ISBN : Sathiya narayanan. G., Prakash, M. Sunil Kumar B. and Padmavathi. S. (2012). Seed enhancement techniques for enhanced seed storage in cotton. Research Journal Agricultural Sciences. 3 : 4-8. Shinde, P.V., Zode, N.G. Shende N.V. and Nikam. R.R. (1999). Effect of storage container on germination of sunflower seeds (Helianthus annus L). J. Maharashtra Agric. Univ., 22: 3-3. Sirmathi, P. (1997). Research focus on seed collection, processing and storage of amla (Emblica offinalis), jamun (Syzygium cumini) and ber (Zizyphies Mauritiana). Ph.D Thesis, TNAU, Coimbatore.