Vol. 11, Issue 1 (2022)

Author(s):
Aishwarya Ganiger, DS Uppar, JS Hilli and Rohini Sugandi

Abstract:
Green gram (Vigna radiata var. Sublobata.) is an important pulse, rich in protein and other nutrients. Infestation of the green gram pods by the pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis) starts from the field and continues at storage. A laboratory study carried out on solarization against pulse beetle infestation and seed quality in green gram seeds during storage was undertaken during 2020-21. In this study both inoculated and fresh seeds are solarized for 4 hours for 2, 4, 6, 8 days respectively with controls and totally twenty treatments stored in polythene bag (700 guage) and vaccum packed bag combination were arranged in factorial complete randomized design with three replications. The results revealed that solarization of fresh seeds for 4h for 8 days stored in vaccum packed bag (T₅P₂) maintained the high seed quality parameters and no seed infestation during storage. viz., highest germination (94.8%), shoot length (18.99 cm), root length (14.04 cm), seedling dry weight (271.3 mg), seedling vigour index I and II (3131 and 2572), field emergence (88.20%) and lowest dead seed (1.73%) hard seed (0.00%), number of abnormal seedlings (1.73%), disease/fungal affected seedlings (1.75%), moisture content (8.01%), seed infestation (0.00%), zero number of live and dead insects after nine months of storage compare to control (inoculated seeds) stored in polythene bag(700 guage) (47.20%, 10.58 cm, 6.20 cm, 211.1mg, 793 and 997, 41.90%, 16.82%, 0.00%, 19.19% 16.09% 12.33%, 51.00%, 418 and 230 respectively). All solarization treatments were had higher seed quality with zero seed infestation compare to control seeds and vaccum packed seeds maintained the maximum seed quality with no seed infestation throughout storage period.