Physiological quality of fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare Miller) seeds stored in different containers and environmental conditions

Abstract

For an adequate conservation of seeds it is essential previously establishing the ideal conditions for their storage. Thereby, this study aimed at evaluating influence of packaging types and storage environmental conditions on physiological quality of fennel seeds. The seeds were stored into three different packaging types (cotton bags, multiwall paper bags, and glass containers), and stored under two environmental conditions (laboratory and cold chamber) during a twelve months period. Physiological seed quality was assessed before storage and at every two months after storage through tests of germination, germination speed index, and electrical conductivity. Experiment was performed on a completely randomized design with treatments arranged in a split-split plot arrangement in time (two environmental storage conditions x three packaging types x six storage periods + a control treatment), with four replications. Fennel seeds packaged into glass containers have maintained their physiological quality stable over the twelve storage months regardless storage environmental conditions; being considered the best container for storing fennel seeds; and cotton packaging was considered as the least efficient for both storage under laboratory environmental conditions as well as for storage under cold chamber conditions.