Vol. 11, Issue 11 (2022)

An investigation was undertaken during kharif 2017 at the Central Research Station and Department of Seed Science and Technology, OUAT, Bhubaneswar to find out the influence of maleic hydrazide (MH) induced seed dormancy on various seed quality attributes controlling storability of groundnut seeds. The experimental material consisted of three groundnut varieties namely, TG 37 A, TG 38 B and Devi and six treatments namely, MH @ T₀ (0 ppm), T₁ (250 ppm), T₂ (500 ppm), T₃ (750 ppm), T₄ (1000 ppm) and T₅ (1250 ppm) applied as foliar spray at 70 and 90 DAS. The storability of seeds was assessed basing on the results of germination and vigour tests (SVI-I, SVI-II) conducted at monthly intervals. Among the varieties, Devi responded well to dormancy induction treatments and exhibited high germination, vigour or storability followed by TG 38 B and TG 37 A during all three months of storage. The rate of deterioration was higher in control in comparison to MH treatments. After two months, the highest germination (84.33%) was observed in T₅ followed by T₄ (82.33%) and T₃ (81.00%) while, the lowest germination of 73.67% was observed in untreated seeds (control). Application of MH @ 1250 ppm (T₅) was the only treatment that maintained seed germinability above the certification standard (70.67%) after three months of storage while germination was lower (57.67% to 69.33%) in all the other treatments. Significant differences in respect of seed vigour indices (SVI-I and SVI-II) were absent among the varieties, treatments and also among the interaction effects during the entire period of storage indicating similar response of all the three varieties and MH treatments on these two vigour parameters. Thus, the foliar application of MH induced dormancy @ 1250 ppm helped in maintaining higher germinability and vigour of seeds during storage as compared to the untreated seeds. There exists a positive association of seed dormancy with seed longevity in different crops which could be made use in enhancing storability of groundnut seeds.