PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

An investigation was carried out to study the efficacy of seed treating chemicals and plant products on storability of three rice cultivars namely ADT-43, CR-1009 and CO-43 in the seed Technology Laboratory of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University, Annamalai nagar. The study materials comprised of 15 genotypes of rice and were evaluated in the field. Eight economic characters viz., days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, panicle length, number of filled grains per panicle, spikelet fertility, 1000 grain weight and grain yield per plant were recorded. Among the genotypes ADT-43 recorded the highest seed yield followed by CR-1009 and CO-43. Hence these genotypes were subjected to laboratory storage studies. Post-harvest seed treatments with chemicals and plant product differed significantly with respect to seed quality during one year of storage. Seed treatment with halogen mixture (dehydrated calcium oxychloride & calcium carbonate) (1:1) @ 3g/kg recorded significantly highest percentage of gemination during storage. Among the containers, seed stored in polyethene bag was found to have high germination per cent and seed vigour characters. The seedling characters viz., root length, shoot length, seedling dry weight and vigour index also exhibited significantly high values for seeds treated with halogen and low electrical conductivity. Among the three genotypes, ADT-43 has been adjudged as the best. Seeds treated with halogens and stored in polythene bags recorded significantly higher values when compared to other treatments and seeds stored in other two containers ie., cloth bag and clay water pot.