Articles
Storing Lablab purpureus (L.) seed under vacuum using a modified bicycle pump
Article number
1336_32
Pages
243 – 248
Language
English
Abstract
To successfully store orthodox crop seeds in tropical climates one must contend with elevated temperature, high relative humidity, and pest infestation.
The storage measures often come at a high cost to producers, including a combination of modified storage infrastructure, seed treatment, and various container options.
This experiment aimed to test the effectiveness of a simple modified bicycle pump designed to pull a vacuum on glass jars, for the storage of orthodox crop seed.
In 2018, lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) seeds were stored in containers with and without vacuum sealing at two sites, in Myanmar and Thailand.
Containers were removed from the experiment at months 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12, and seed were tested to determine germination percentage and seed moisture content.
Results indicated a significant advantage in seeds stored under vacuum sealing, maintaining germination percentages above 76% throughout the study, with the latter deteriorating completely by month 6 of the study.
Glass jar containers maintained a vacuum 90% of the time over the course of the study when using the modified bicycle pump technique.
Overall, results showed that storing seeds using this technique can be both effective and affordable, providing potential benefit to smallholder farmers and others in resource-constrained settings.
The storage measures often come at a high cost to producers, including a combination of modified storage infrastructure, seed treatment, and various container options.
This experiment aimed to test the effectiveness of a simple modified bicycle pump designed to pull a vacuum on glass jars, for the storage of orthodox crop seed.
In 2018, lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) seeds were stored in containers with and without vacuum sealing at two sites, in Myanmar and Thailand.
Containers were removed from the experiment at months 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12, and seed were tested to determine germination percentage and seed moisture content.
Results indicated a significant advantage in seeds stored under vacuum sealing, maintaining germination percentages above 76% throughout the study, with the latter deteriorating completely by month 6 of the study.
Glass jar containers maintained a vacuum 90% of the time over the course of the study when using the modified bicycle pump technique.
Overall, results showed that storing seeds using this technique can be both effective and affordable, providing potential benefit to smallholder farmers and others in resource-constrained settings.
Authors
P.J. Trail, B. Thansrithong
Keywords
seed storage, orthodox seed, vacuum sealing, lablab, community seed bank
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