Germination of tropical forage seeds stored in ambient and controlled temperature and humidity conditions

摘要

Storage of tropical forage seeds in the humid tropics is critical in order to safeguard germination. Storing Mulato hybrid brachiaria (Brachiaria ruziziensis x B. hrizantha) seed under ambient conditions could be safely done for 8-12 months in Thailand, but rapid deterioration in viability occurred with longer storage, with seed being totally nonviable after 20 months storage (Hare eta/. 2008). However, Mulato seeds kept in cold storage (10°C and 40% RH) for 3 years still maintained 80% germination.Similar results were found in northern Australia (Hopkinson and English 2005) where loss of viability of Panicum maximum, Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria humidicola, Setaria sphacelata and Chloris gay ana seeds was rapid under ambient conditions with total death at 3 years. Under cool storage (10°C and 40% RH), maximum seed viability was still maintained after 6 years of storage.