Storage Potential of Three Different Types of In-shell Peanut Seeds under Ambient and Cold Room Conditions

Abstract

Peanut seed storability differs depending on storage environment and peanut genotype. This study was conducted to determine the effects of storage conditions on peanut seed quality, and to compare storage potential of three peanut cultivars. In-shell seeds of three peanut cultivars viz. Kasetsart 50, Local Fresh Boiled peanut (LFB) and Tainan 9 were stored under ambient (23.5 to 28.1^oC, 58.5 to 79.0% RH)  and cold room (12^oC, 76% RH) conditions for 6 months from January to July 2003 at the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center. Split-split plot design with 5 replications was used. Storage condition was treated as main plot factor, cultivars as sub-plot factor, and storage duration as sub-sub plot factor. Germination, vigor and field emergence were determined at 0, 3 and 6 months of storage. Under cold room condition, seed quality differences among cultivars were minimal. Seeds of the three cultivars maintained high quality up to 6 months. Under ambient condition, seed quality differences were obvious. Tainan 9 seed maintained high germination, vigor and field emergence up to 6 months, while germination, vigor and field emergence of LFB seeds were greatly reduced and seed vigor of Kasetsart 50 was decreased. Seed qualities of Tainan 9, and to a lesser extent, of Kasetsart 50, were high and stable under both ambient and cold room conditions after 6 months of storage, however, those of LFB seeds under ambient condition were greatly reduced after 6 months suggesting cold storage is necessary for LFB.