Standardization of Easy and Reliable Seed Vigour Test in TNAU Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L) Hepper) cv. CO 6

Standardization of Easy and Reliable Seed Vigour Test in TNAU Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L) Hepper) cv. CO 6

Studies were undertaken at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore using seeds of TNAU blackgram cv. CO 6 with a view to elicit information on standardization and identification of an easy, reliable vigour test and their relation with field emergence. The seeds were subjected to accelerated ageing (3 days, at 100 % Relative Humidity and 400C), controlled deterioration (25% moisture content for 40oC for 36h) and complex stressing vigour tests (40oC for 4h of soaking followed by 5oC for 2h of soaking) and compared with field emergence. Among them, accelerated ageing for 3 days, controlled deterioration 25% moisture content and 40oC for 36h have recorded germination percentage around 75 to 77% which was nearer to Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards. Correlation among vigour test with field emergence indicated strong and positive association with accelerated ageing (r = 0.933), controlled deterioration (r = 0.500) and complex stress vigour test (r = 0.337) among this accelerated ageing provided higher correlation than other tests for prediction of field stand for TNAU blackgram CO 6 cultivar.