Organic Grain Protectants for Enhancing Storability of Rice Seeds
Rampurapu Jessica Blessy *
Department of Seed Science and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvunanthapuram, Kerala-695522, India.
Nivedhitha M.S
Department of Seed Science and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvunanthapuram, Kerala-695522, India.
Beena.R
Department of Physiology, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvunanthapuram, Kerala-695522, India.
Sheeja K. Raj
Department of Agronomy, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvunanthapuram, Kerala-695522, India.
Nithya P.R.
Department of Entomology, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvunanthapuram, Kerala-695522, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
An experiment was conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to study the influence of organic grain protectants in enhancing storage life of rice seeds. The experiment consists of six treatments with different organic grain protectants viz Arka (Calotropis gigantea) leaf powder, Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder, Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata) leaf powder, Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) rhizome powder, Arappu (Albizia amara) leaf powder and control. All the treatments were effective in control of storage pest and mycoflora infestation without any seed damage and weight loss compared to control with 62.33,16.25 per cent seed damage and weight loss. The treatment T4 [Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) rhizome powder] recorded superior among all treatments, germination percentage (82.00%), germination energy (81.00%), seedling vigour index (1029.20), seedling shoot length (13.03 cm), seedling root length (12.40 cm). However, among all treatments T4 [Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) rhizome powder] recorded least Seed damage percentage, seed weight loss percentage, total number of adult insects and mycoflora infestation compared to control.
Keywords: Rice seeds, organic grain protectants, seed storage, storage pest, mycoflora infestation, seed germination