Effect of Packaging Material, Storage Conditions and Storage Period on Seed Quality Parameters of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

The present investigation was carried out to elucidate seedling characters of sesame due to ageing (storage) in different packaging material i.e. seeds in paper bag, aluminium foil pouches, PETE bottle, tetrapack packing, vacuum packing and cloth bags for different periods i.e. 150 and 250 days under dry cold room, refrigerator and ambient conditions. Seedling parameters i.e. germination percentage, seedling length, seedling dry weight and seedling vigor index were calculated and observed that they decreased with the period of ageing. Sesame seeds cultivars are stored in different packaging materials were affected due to storage but the effects were more pronounced in the cloth bag compared to the other packaging materials. Vacuum packing had maintained the seed quality with least deterioration. Storage under refrigerator conditions at low temperatures had superior quality maintained compared to storage under dry cold room and ambient conditions in all the seedling parameters.