Response of Kenaf Hibiscus cannabinus L Seeds StoredUnder Humid Tropical Conditions to Dry Seed InvigorationTreatments 118

The effects of powders of three plant materials (neem leaves, ocimum leaves and red chilli fruits), three pharmaceutical products (apron plus, bleaching powder and aspirin tablet) and a control treatment on freshly harvested seed lots of four varieties of Kenaf were investigated at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria to determine their efficacy on the maintenance of viability and seedling vigour. Seed lots treated with recommended doses were stored under ambient conditions (28.8oC, 61.10 RH %) for 240 days (8 months) and tested for seed viability and seedling vigour at 30-day intervals. Significant differences were found among the varieties and seed treatments during storage. All seed lots showed notable loss of viability during the storage periods, irrespective of variety and treatment. Seed treatments resulted in higher seed viability and seedling vigour than untreated seeds at the end of the storage period. Seeds treated with ocimum leaf and apron-plus powders consistently maintained higher viability of between 52 and 64 % in all the varieties whereas seedling vigour of seeds treated with neem leaf, bleaching and aspirin powders were higher with values of between 11.9 - 20 units in most of the varieties. Probit modeling indicated that storage life of 11 months is achievable for Ifeken 400 treated with ocimum leaf and apron plus powders. Pre-storage treatment of freshly harvested kenaf seed with ocimum leaf powder at 10g/100g seed and apron-plus at 5g/1kg seed were therefore recommended as it will benefit low income and resource poor producers of Kenaf seed who lack air conditioned storage facilities in developing tropical countries.