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Seed Storage and Longevity: Mechanism, Types and Management

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Advances in Seed Production and Management

Abstract

About one-third of the food produced in the world is never consumed due to loss or waste, which adversely affects agricultural productivity and food security for the rising population. The primary cause of such losses is poor storage due to high seed moisture content at harvest and damp storage conditions. Thus, maintenance of seed quality during storage is imperative to the propagation of food plants as seed is the first link in the food chain and the ultimate symbol of food security. In storage, seeds are preserved under regulated environmental conditions to maintain their viability but initial seed quality and seed moisture contents are major contributing factors of seed longevity. The purpose of seed storage may vary from seasonal storage to long-term germplasm conservation. Seed deterioration during storage is an inevitable process and can be delayed by controlling different abiotic (relative humidity, temperature and oxygen) and biotic factors (insects, fungi and rodents) that affect viability. Rate of seed deterioration is accelerated with increased initial seed moisture content, temperature and relative humidity of the storage environment. In this chapter, we discuss possible mechanisms of seed deterioration various factors that are related to seed deterioration and management strategies for the preservation of seeds during storage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, Pakistan

    Muhammad Amir Bakhtavar

  2. Seed Physiology Lab, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Irfan Afzal

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  1. Muhammad Amir Bakhtavar
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  2. Irfan Afzal
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Correspondence to Irfan Afzal .

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  1. UP Council of Sugarcane Research, Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ajay Kumar Tiwari

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Bakhtavar, M.A., Afzal, I. (2020). Seed Storage and Longevity: Mechanism, Types and Management. In: Tiwari, A.K. (eds) Advances in Seed Production and Management. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4198-8_21

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