Effect of Different Packaging Materials and Storage Environments on Seed Quality of Sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.)

The speed of the deterioration of oil-seeds depends on conditions of the storage environment and understanding dormancy release time is important to increase the amount and uniformity in germination. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different packaging materials and storage environments on viability and dormancy of sesame. The black sesame seed was stored in three packaging materials (woven polypropylene bag, IRRI super bag, metal bin) under two environment conditions (ambient and cold storage) for eight-month (initial storage, 2-month, 4-month, 6-month and 8-month). The effect of storage environments, packaging materials and storage durations on germination percentage, germination index, seedling vigor index I and II were significant. The moisture content decreased in the early parts of storage periods and then increased in later. The moisture content of seeds in the packaging materials increased in long storage due to the effect of seed respiration and heat accumulation in a package. Higher viability was observed in ambient storage, and in a woven polypropylene bag. Because the dormancy release was slow in low- temperature condition and the carbon dioxide concentration in the airtight package inhibited the dormancy break. It also increased during storage and the earliest fully dormancy break has occurred in six-month of woven polypropylene bag storage under ambient condition. Therefore, the germination and dormancy release of sesame were influenced by storage environments packaging materials and storage durations.