Viability and Vigour of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L) Seeds

Puspa Hartati, Rosmayati and Diana Sofia Hanafiah

Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Padang Bulan Medan, Indonesia 20155

Keywords: maximum growth potency, sesame seeds, viability, vigour index.

Abstract: The aim of seed testing was to avoid planting seeds that do not have the ability to grow into expected plants.

Seed germination testing is a method that provide to provide information for seed users about the seeds

ability to grow into plants that have. The viability testing that usually used on sesame seeds is germination

testing. The aim of germination testing is to detect seeds germination viability under optimum condition.

This research has purpose to determine the correlation between germination, vigour index, and maximum

growth potential of sesame seeds. Seeds that used in this research were Sumberejo 4 varieties which have

been stored for 6 and 7 years. Seed germination testing was held based on ISTA Rules method. Germination

testing were carried out on filter paper at temperature changes between 20

C and 30

C. Seedling evaluation

was carried out on the 3

and 6 days. The vigour index evaluation was carried out on the 3 days. The criteria

of sesame seedlings refers to ISTA Handbook on Seedling Evaluation with germination type E, A-2-1-1-1

seedling group. Abnormal seedlings that were found on the research categorized as rotten seedlings due to

primary infection, damaged primary root, inhibited primary root development, no primary root or missing,

and no hypocotyl. The results showed that seed germination was positively correlated with the vigour index

(r = 0,912**) and maximum growth potential (r = 0,859**), and vigour index was positively correlated with

maximum grwoth potential (r = 0,805**).

1 INTRODUCTION

Seed is one of the basic inputs in agricultural

activities. It is part of plant that used for

reproduction either vegetatively or generatively. The

use of quality seed is one of the efforts in order to

improve productivity. Therefore, the availability of

quality seeds is one of the key to success farming

(Kusandari and Muharram, 2005). Sesame is a plant

that contains 50-53% vegetable oil. Sesame plants

propagation through seeds that produce generatively.

One effort to determine sesame seeds viability is

seed testing.

The main purpose of seed testing is to avoid

planting seeds that do not have the ability to grow

into normal plants. Seed testing reffered to a

germination test. Germination test is one of method

to provide information to seed users about the seeds

ability to grow into productive plants in optimum

environmental conditions (BBPPMBTPH, 2012).

The germination test of seedling in optimum

conditions sometimes show higher percentage of

germination than sprouts in the field. Due to that

conditions, according to Ilyas (2012), germination

test can not provide information about the potential

performance of the seed in the field accurately.

Based on the circumstances, it require an additional

test to obtain information about seed growth in the

field and provide a more sensitive seed quality

assessment.

The test that gives more sensitive seed quality

assessment is vigor test. Vigour test can provide

information about seed quality index; consistent

levels of the potential physical and physiological

quality of seed lots; seed growth on the field; and

seed saving power from a lot. Vigor can be

interpreted as a number of traits that indicate the

activity and seed lots diversity that can grow in

wider range of field conditions (ISTA, 2014).

Seeds that have high vigor will be able to grow

in non optimum environmental conditions and will

produce products above normal in the optimum

environment. In addition, seeds that have high vigor

will grow faster because relatively germination

seeds require a short time (Sadjad et al, 1999).

One of the parameters of the vigour test is the

vigour index. The vigour index can provide more

information about seed vigor. The vigour index

where the seeds have the first calculated value test

Hartati, P., Rosmayati, R. and Hanaﬁah, D.

Viability and Vigour of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L) Seeds.

DOI: 10.5220/0008547401310134

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Natural Resources and Technology (ICONART 2019), pages 131-134

ISBN: 978-989-758-404-6

131

has a high vigour. One parameter of seed feasibility

is maximum growth potential (Sutopo, 2004). The

value of maximum growth potential shows a high

condition of seed viability (Justice and Bass, 2002).

The seeds used in this study were Sumberejo 4

sesame seeds varieties with two lots which had been

stored for 6 and 7 years. The study aims to

determine the correlation between germination test,

vigour index and maximum growth potential of

sesame seeds.

2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1 Time and Location

The experiment was conducted in laboratory physics

and biology, Seed Testing Laboratory Development

Seed Agency of Quality Testing for Food Crops and

Horticulture, Cimanggis Depok on November-

Desember 2018.

2.2 Materials

Materials that used in this resarch were 2 lots of

SBR 4 sesame seeds varieties. A1 seeds lot was

seeds that have been stored for 7 years and A2 seeds

lot was seeds that have been stored for 6 years. The

seeds were stored in the seeds shed at temperature

between 16-25

C. This research was conducted with

three approaches: germination test, vigour index,

and maximum growth potential.

2.3 Methods

Germination test was conducted using ISTA Rules

method in germinator with the temperature changes

between 20

C and 30

C using filter paper. Sesame

seeds were arranged on filter paper that had been

moistened, then it were germinated in electric

germinator. Germination test of sesame seeds was

evaluated on the 3

and 6 days. Vigour index was

evaluated on 3

days. The criteria for normal

seedlings refer to ISTA Handbook on Seedlings

Evaluation (2006) with germination type E, A-2-1-

1-1seedlings group.

2.3.1 Observation Parameters

1. Germination (G)

The calculation of germination ability was based on

the percentage of normal seedlings on the 3

and 6

days (ISTA, 2014).

G =

Ʃnormal Seedling evaluation (I+II)

× 100%

Ʃ seed planted

2. Vigour index (VI)

Vigour index calculation was based on persentase

the percentage of normal seedlings that grow on the

days.

3. Maximum Growth Potential (MGP)

Maximum growth population was calculated based

on the percentage of all seedlings that grow both

normal and abnormal until the end of the

observation. Maximum growth potential was

calculated using:

MGP=

Ʃ seed grow until the end

× 100%

Ʃ seed planted

2.3.2 Data Analysis

This research was conducted using Random Block

Design (RBD), namely seed lot (A1 and A2).

Statistical data processing was performed by

analyzing the F test range at a 95% confidence

interval to see the effect of treatment on the

observed variables. If the treatment has a significant

effect on the benchmark variable of observation,

Duncan Test multiple range test (DMRT) is carried

out at the level of 5%. A simple correlation test was

carried out to see the relationship between the two

variables.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Time and Location

Germination is a series of complex physiological

processes that begin with the process of taking water

(imbibition) by the seed and ending with the

appearance of primary roots penetrating the seed

skin (ISTA, 2014). In the sesame seeds that had been

tested, germination in the laboratory begins with the

appearance of the primary roots penetrating the seed

skin and ends when the seedling have developed to

the phase where the seedlings can be evaluated

according to the ISTA Rules, namely germination

type E, A-2-1-1-1seedlings group.

Sesame seedlings that have reached a certain

development phase, will be evaluated based on

important structures and categorized as normal

seedlings, abnormal seedlings and dead seeds.

Seedlings that were not sufficiently developed,

ICONART 2019 - International Conference on Natural Resources and Technology

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weak, unbalanced, deformed and damaged, remain

abandoned until the last calculation. ISTA Rules

allow the testing period to be extended if there are

doubts or a large number of seedlings are not normal

(ISTA, 2014). The test can be extended for half the

testing period for germination. Sesame seedlingstest

can be extended for up to three days and evaluation

is carried out on the 9 days.

The results of the study in Table 1, show that the

A2 lot has a germination of 88% while the A1 seed

lot has a germination of 70%. A2 seeds lot is

significantly different from germination, vigour

index and maximum growth potential with A1 seed

lot. The higher the germination value, the greater the

vigour index and the maximum potential for sesame

seed growth in this study.

The vigour index calculation was performed on

the 3 days. The vigour index is one of the parameters

of seed vigour. In general, vigour is defined as the

ability of seeds to grow normally in sub optimal

environmental conditions. Seeds with high vigour

will grow faster because the seeds germinate in a

relatively short time (Sadjad et al, 1999). Data on

Table 1 shows that A2 seed vigour index is

significantly different from A1 lot seed. Although

A2 seed lot was significantly higher than A1 seed

lot, both seeds had a low vigour index.

Maximum growth potential is the sum of

growing seedlings, both normal and abnormal. The

magnitude of the maximum growth potential

indicates a high condition of seed viability (Justice

and Bass, 2002). A1 seed lot had a maximum growth

potential of 90%, where as much as 20% of

seedlings enter the abnormal seedlings category

while A2 seed lot had a maximum growth potential

of 97%, of which 9% in the category of abnormal

seedlings. Abnormal seedlings that were found is in

the category of rotten seedlings due to primary

infection, primary roots damaged due to inhibition

and none, and no hypocotyl (Figure 1).

Table 1:Effect lot of seed on germination, vigour indexand

the maximum growth potential on two lots of sesame

seeds

Seed

Lot

Parameters

Germination

(%)

Vigour index

(%)

Maximum Growth

Potential (%)

70b

13b

90b

88a

20a

97a

Note: The numbers followed by the same letter on the

same line indicates a value not significantly different from

DMRT at α = 5%.

The data in Table 2 shows the correlation

coefficient of each test had strong correlations. The

results of the correlation test between germination

and the value of the vigour index and maximum

growth potential gave the results of a real positive

difference which shows that the higher the value of

the vigour index and the maximum growth potential,

the higher the germination value. The correlation

between the vigour index and the maximum growth

potential gave the results of a real positive difference

indicating that the higher the maximum potential

growth value, the higher the vigour index.

Figure 1: Sesame Seed Evaluation. Normal seedling (A);

Seedling grown rudimentary (B); Abnormal seedling with

no primary root criteria (C), no hypocotyl (D) dan decayed

(E);

Table 2: The correlation coefficient (r) of the germination,

vigour index and the maximum growth potential on two

lots of sesame seeds

Parameter

Germination

(%)

Vigour

index

(%)

Maximum

Growth Potential

(%)

Germination (%)

Vigour index (%)

0,912

Maximum Growth

Potential (%)

0,859

0,805

Note: **: different significantly at the 0.01 level

3.2 Discussion

Sesame in A1 seeds lot (stored 7 years) and A2 lot

(stored 6 years) had a germination rate of 70% and

88%. Both sesame seed lots are able to maintain the

germination of seeds. As for several factors that

Viability and Vigour of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L) Seeds

133

affect seed germination during storage, namely seed

vigor before storage, seed water content, storage

environment conditions, and storage time (Kartono,

2004).

The data in Table 1 shows that

germination,vigour index and maximum growth

potential of A2 sesame seeds lot are significantly

higher in value than A1 lots. In A1 seeds lot, the

viability value is lower than A2. It can be seen from

the value of germination and the value of the vigour

index. Decreasing the germination of seeds and

increasing the number of abnormal seedlings are one

characteristic of physiologically decreasing seed

vigor (Copeland and Donald, 2001). This is in line

with the maximum growth potential in both seed

lots. Maximum growth potential on A1 seeds lot

were 90% where 20% were abnormal seedlings, on

A2 lot was 97% with 9% were abnormal seedlings.

This indicates that the two lots have experienced a

decrease in vigour.

The high number of abnormal seedlings in A1

and A2 lots is due to the inability of seedlings to

develop into normal seedlings due to seed decline.

Decline in seed quality during storage can occur

when food reserves for embryo growth are reduced

or depleted due to metabolic processes of respiration

(Roberts, 1972). During storage, seeds undergo a

biological process, one of which is the metabolic

process, especially the process of respiration

associated with the process of deteriorating seed

quality.

Seed storage for a long time has a negative

impact on seed viability (Justice et al., 2002). In

addition, seeds that experience a decline in seed

quality will experience a loss of ability to germinate

even though the seeds are in optimum conditions for

germination (Copeland and McDonald, 1995).

The results of this research showed that

germination was positively correlated with the

vigour index (r = 0.912 **) and maximum growth

potential (r = 0.859 *), and the vigour index was

positively correlated with maximum growth

potential (r = 0.805 **). The higher the value of the

vigour index and the maximum growth potential, the

higher the germination. Likewise with the vigour

index, the higher the maximum growth potential of

sesame seeds, the higher the vigour index.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Sesame seed that has been stored for 6 and 7 year

olds were able to maintain germination respectively

88% and 70%. The germination of both sesame seed

lots correlates with the vigour index and maximum

growth potential.

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