Assessment of seed storability of onion varieties with accelerated ageing test

A study was conducted to assess quality and storage potential of seeds of onion varieties with accelerated ageing test. Fresh seeds of seventeen onion varieties were pre-conditioned and subjected to accelerated ageing (AA) at 42oC and 100% RH for six days. The results showed differential and signifcant response of AA treatment on onion seed quality traits with respect to germination per cent, germination rate, seed vigour and electrical conductance of seed leachates. The seed germination and seed vigour index-I (SVI-I) ranged from 87.0 to 99.0% and 743.07 to 1204.17 in unaged seeds which declined to 40.0 to 76.0% and 190.62 to 593.64, respectively, after the ageing treatment. The onion varieties could be categorised as good, medium and poor storer based on response to AA treatment using cluster analysis. Among the varieties under study, Bhima Kiran, Bhima Shakti, Bhima Super, Bhima Shweta, Arka Bheem, Pusa Red, Pusa Riddhi, Agrifound Light Red were good storers as they retained high seed quality (seed germination: 70 ± 1.33% and seed vigour index-1: 481.55 ± 24.58) and showed least decline in studied traits after AA test; Pusa Madhavi, Early Grano and Bhima Shubhra as medium storers (seed germination: 62 ± 2.37% and SVI-I: 400.98 ± 34.04) and Arka Pragati, Arka Kalyan, Arka Ujjwal, Arka Niketan, NHRDF Red and Agrifound Dark Red as poor storers (seed germination: 58 ± 2.23% and SVI-I: 368.90 ± 37.72). The study helped in classifcation of onion varieties into different storage groups based on performance under accelerated ageing test.