INFLUENCE OF STORAGE CONDITIONS AND PACKAGING MATERIALS ON GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF SORGHUM SEEDS

Abstract

The effect of different storage conditions and packaging materials on the germination of sorghum (accession number: NGB/08/0270) seed was investigated in this study. The seeds were stored at three different storage conditions: short term gene bank (stored at 18 0C and relative humidity [R.H.] of 40%), long term gene bank (stored at -20 0C and R.H. of 10%) and freezer (stored at -21 0C and R.H. of 10%); while the packaging materials were in an aluminum foil, plastic container and envelope. The result showed that sorghum seeds stored under freezer condition and packaged with aluminum foil recorded the highest germination percentage, seedling vigour, shoot and root lengths (86.0%, 2373.6, 8.21 and 19.39 cm) respectively. Sorghum seeds stored under short-term gene bank packaged with plastic container had low germination percentage (67.33%). Seeds stored under long term gene bank and inside plastic container recorded the highest electrical conductivity of seed leachate and total chlorophyll content (69.53 µScm-1 and 0.617 µgml -1) respectively. This investigation also revealed that low temperature condition associated with lower moisture content is very suitable for sorghum seed storage. KEY WORDS: gene bank, factor, packaging, Sorghum, aluminum foil.