Comparative study on the effect of seed treatments and packaging types on seedling vigor and developmental traits

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru, during the rainy seasons of 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the effect of seed treatments and packaging materials on seedling growth and development in hybrid maize cultivar ‘Hema’. The study aimed to assess seedling performance after prolonged storage under various conditions. Results revealed that after a 16-month storage period, the highest mean seedling length was recorded in seeds stored in polythene bags (700 gauge) and those treated with Thiram at 2 g kg-1, measuring 27.45 cm and 27.75 cm, respectively. These were followed by super grain bags (26.75 cm) and halogen mixture treatment at 3 g kg-1 (27.25 cm), whereas the lowest seedling lengths were observed in cloth bags and untreated control (25.25 cm each). Similarly, seedling dry weight was highest in seeds stored in polythene bags (50.40 mg) and those treated with Thiram (51.83 mg), followed by super grain bags (48.35 mg) and halogen mixture (50.67 mg). The lowest seedling dry weights were observed in cloth bag storage (46.25 mg) and control (46.08 mg). The findings suggest that polythene packaging and Thiram treatment effectively preserve seed vigor and enhance seedling performance over extended storage periods in hybrid maize.