STORAGE OF GROUNDNUT POD FOR PROLONGED SEED

VIABILITY

What is the problem?
The rainy or kharif season produce
retains more than 80% germinability
even after 12 months of storage, as
the subsequent ambient storage
conditions do not affect germinability
seriously. ut the rabi or summer
produce face high humidity and high
temperatures during the monsoon
season !hich accelerate the ageing
process in the seed and leads to
reduced germinability, and seedling
vigour. "f stored traditionally, such
conditions are also congenial for the
infestation by fungal flora especially on
seeds !ith lost viability.
Why proper storage is necessary?
Thus, groundnut produce of rabi and
summer seasons loses viability rapidly and it goes do!n to as lo! as 10#20
per cent, $ust after % months of storage. This deprives the farmers of using
their o!n quality seed for ne&t rabi or summer season. 'ffected produce also
loses value in seed market and domestic#trade.
Problem Areas
(oduce of rabi and summer groundnut is vulnerable to this problem. ut, it is
of serious concern for )est engal, *rissa, and the +ortheastern parts of the
,ountry !here cultivation of rabi-summer groundnut is very promising and
farmers have to depend on e&ternal sources for seed as they can not store
their o!n seed for ne&t rabi or summer season. .roundnut farmers are a!are
of the quick loss of seed viability in the produce of the rabi and summer
seasons.
How do we tackle this?
)e, at the +/,., have developed a simple and cheap technique of retaining
viability of rabi and summer produce for even up to 0 months after harvest.
This method of maintaining viability is a result of appropriate harvesting,
drying and storage. 1or this method to !ork satisfactorily, follo! standard
methods of drying and harvesting.
Drying and Harvesting:
"rrigation must be stopped at least 10 days before harvest as for as
possible.
2ry the plants !ith pods in shade 3avoiding direct e&posure of pods
to sun light4 for %#5 days before stripping. 2esirably follo! 2*/
method or +/,. method.
"n 2*/ method, the plants are uprooted and
6trip the pods and dry them in thin layers in the sunlight for 1#2
days.
1ollo!ing methods can check proper drying.
a4 (ods should give rattling sound !hen shaken.
b4 )hen seed is pressed it should easily split into t!o
cotyledons.
c4 )hen the surface of the seed is rubbed hard a portion of
the seed coat peels off.
Storage:
.roundnut pods, after thorough drying, are stored !ith anhydrous calcium
chloride 7 250 g per 80 kg pods filled in polythene bags of 80 kg capacity.
The method is described here.
Material reqired:
1. (olythene bag 30.5 mm thickness4 of 80 kg capacity
2. ' plastic bo& of one half kg capacity !ith scre! cap lid
8. ,ommercial grade anhydrous calcium chloride
%. ' piece of thin cotton cloth
Method:
1. 9ake holes of appro&imately 5 mm si:e in the upper half of the
plastic bo& using a hot iron nail.
2. 1ill the polythene bag to half of its capacity !ith pods.
8. Tie calcium chloride 7 250 g- 80 kg pods in the piece of cloth and
hang this inside the perforated plastic pot using the lid.
%. (lace the pot containing calcium chloride inside the gunny bag
vertically.
5. 1ill the rest of the bag !ith pods.
;. 6eal the bag and store it vertically at room temperature.
6ectional vie! of the +/,. drying
method
Precations:
1. <se only anhydrous calcium chloride of commercial grade available in
the market.
2. 2uring subsequent handling, ensure that the bags are al!ays kept
vertically.
How viable is the technology?
)ith the produce properly harvested and dried to ;#8% of seed
moisture, this technology !as very effective in maintaining high
germinability 385%4 even after 0 months of storage at ambient
conditions stored in *rissa and )est engal by *rissa 6tate 6eed
,orporation, hubnes!ar.
*nce understood, this technology is easy to adopt by individual
farmers and is highly cost effective as the cost of storage of 100 kg of
pods is around 50 rupees only.
The seedling vigour !as high as compared to the seedling vigour of
the seed stored in ordinary gunny bags.
6uch seed !as also less prone to infestation by Aspergills !lavs
that produces aflato&ins in groundnut and A" niger !hich causes seed
rots and collar rot.
,ommercial grade ,a,l2 is easily available in the markets of the
,ountry.
'!areness rochure
STORAGE OF GROUNDNUT POD FOR
PROLONGED SEED VIABILITY
P.C. Nautiyal, S. Desai and A. Bandyopadhyay
National Research Centre for
Gron!nt
P.B. 5, Ivnagar Road, Junagadh 362 001, Gujarat
,ontact for further information= 2irector, +ational /esearch ,entre for
.roundnut 3",'/4, (.. 5, "vnagar /oad, >unagadh ? 8;2 001, .u$arat, "ndia.
@#mail= director7nrcg.gu$.nic.inA (hone=0285#;51550, ;28%;1, ;280%1A 1a&=
0285#;51550