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Effect of Preparation and Storage Environment on Lifespan of Shelled Peanut Seed¹

Preservation of gene resources and the maintenance of breeder seed is an integral part of cultivar improvement programs. Unfortunately, seed of the cultivated peanut, Arachis hypogaea L., generally die within 2 years of storage under ambient conditions, yet an optimal preparation and storage environment for maintaining viability of peanut seed has not been established. Studies were initiated in 1966 with 1965 crop seed to annually examine the effects of four storage temperatures, three moisture contents of the seed at the time of storage, and a fumigant (paradichlorobenzene) on the germination of seed of five genotypes representing three market types of peanuts. The results indicate that shelled peanut seed, which contain no more than 6% moisture, can be stored for at least 10 years without an appreciable loss in germination when held in sealed containers at temperatures slightly above freezing (2 to 5 C) without paradichlorobenzene. The mean loss in germination was 3, 6, and 10% for Virginia, Spanish, and Valencia type seed, respectively. Storage at a controlled temperature of 17 to 20 C kept the seed from deteriorating appreciably for a 4-year period, after which time seed viability rapidly diminished. Seed which had a high moisture content (8 to 11% when stored) had a shorter lifespan, while lower moisture content (2 to 6%) improved longevity. Paradichlorobenzene had an adverse effect on longevity of seed, especially when stored in sealed containers at storage temperatures sufficiently low to retard sublimation. The viability of Spanish seed decreased at a slightly faster rate than Virginia or Valencia seed under these storage conditions.

Key Words: Arachis hypogaea L. • Seed longevity • Temperature • Seed viability • Germination • Groundnut

² Professor, Dep. of Agronomy, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. The help of Dr. F. G. Martin, associate professor, Statistics, with the statistical analyses and technical assistance of H. C. Wood, W. R. Carpenter, T. J. DeMuynk and T. M. Cahalan is gratefully acknowledged.

Received for publication April 14, 1980.