Chemical fungicide pretreatment and cool-wet storage prolonging seed longevity in Pachira macrocarpa (Cham. and Schl.) Schl.
2014
Shen, R.S. (National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan (ROC). Department of Horticultural Science) | Lu, S.W. | Hsu, S.T. | Huang, K.L. | Miyajima, I.
Production of Pachira macrocarpa seeds in Taiwan is concentrated in the summer and winter months. Furthermore, the seeds harvested are difficult to store or recalcitrant. To resolve the problem of supplying seeds throughout the year, this study explores the effects that fungicide pretreatment and storage temperature have on the storage longevity of P. macrocarpa seeds, and develops effective and practical seed storage technology. The seeds were pretreated with the fungicides benomyl and carbendazim, and then stored at 13degC, 18degC, and 23degC. The results showed that the seeds infected rate during storage increased in correlation with the storage temperature and duration. The seeds pretreated with carbendazim and stored at 13degC and 18degC had a seeds infected rate ranging between 0% and 30% after 4 to 16 weeks of storage. The seeds had not developed infected and exhibited 100% germination rate after sowing. The treatments as control group that were not pretreated with fungicide before storage at 23degC for 8 weeks all developed infected. For the control groups stored at 18degC and 13degC, infection development was delayed until week 12. However, the seeds infected rate achieved 100%, and all seeds died. Finally, all seeds pretreated with benomyl and stored at 23degC for 8 weeks also developed infected, and those stored at 13degC for 16 weeks showed a seeds infected rate of 73%; After sowing, the germination rate was only 66.7%. This indicates that pretreatment with carbendazim and maintaining a constant humidity or moisture content and cool temperature of 13degC can significantly reduce infection development during seed storage. Furthermore, the seeds that developed uninfected kept vigor, achieving 100% germination; thus, the storage longevity of P. macrocarpa seeds was effectively extended.
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