THE EFFECT OF CONTAINER TYPES, SEED DRESSINGS AND DESICANTS ON THE VIABILITY AND VIGOUR OF ROSELLE (HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA L. AR. SADDARIFFA) SEEDS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of seed dressings (neem leaf powder, tobacco leaf powder, wood ash and control), container types (earthen pots, bottles, polythene sacks, plastic container and gourds) and desiccants (toasted rice and powdered charcoal) on the viability and vigour of roselle ( Hibiscus sabdariffa L. var. sabdariffa) seeds. the leaves were dried and ground seperately into fine powders. These were mixed with the roselle seeds and put into the various containers. tge need leaf powder (NLP) and tobacco leaf powder (TLP) were each applied at the rate of 50% (W/W) and 100% for each wood ash (WA). Also added were the desiccants (10 g charcoal and 10 g toasted rice) to absorb any moisture that might be generated during the respiration of the seeds in the containers. Some seeds were stored in the containers without dressings or desiccants to serve as control. The containers and their contents were stored at room temperature (21-30oC) and relative humidity (40-70%) for a period of one-year after which they were sown to determine viability and vigour. After 14 and 20 days since sowing, the germination percentage and vigour index data were recorded, respectively. NLP and WA did not have any adverse effect on the vigour of treated reselle seeds. The best container for roselle seed storage was plastic containers, followed by bottles and polythene bags in that order. The results showed that charcoal was a better desiccant than toasted rice and the former improved the viability and vigour of seeds stored in gourds and earthen pots.