The Storage Method for Maintaining Germination Ability of Moisture-adjusted Soybean Seeds

Abstract

The use of moisture-adjusted seeds (MAS) is effective to reduce flooding injury during germination in soybeans. In this study, we examined the effect of the storage method on seed moisture retention and germination ability of MAS, to find a low-cost simple storage method for its practical use. Our results showed that the seed moisture was easily maintained by sealing with a commercial blue sheet regardless of the temperature. The germination rate of MAS sealed with a blue sheet at an ambient temperature (about 25°C) had been kept at almost 100% for two weeks, and began to decrease from four weeks after the beginning of storage. Moreover, MAS stored for eight weeks at an ambient temperature had poor germination ability in the germination test under flood condition, and resulted in a lower seedling emergence rate and inferior subsequent growth in container-pot experiments. In contrast, the germination rate of MAS kept at a low temperature (10°C) did not decrease eight-week storage. It is concluded that the germination ability can be maintained by sealing with a blue sheet at least two weeks at an ambient temperature and eight weeks at a low temperature, though the storage of MAS at an ambient temperature lowered the germination as ability compared with dried seeds. This storage method may be valuable for usage of MAS in the fields.