Short-term seed storage strategies for underutilized crops and fruit species in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Understanding the germination and storage requirements of underutilized crop and fruit species is essential for developing protocols to promote their wider use. This studyaimed to assess how short-term storage under different conditions affects seed viability and germination performance in Averrhoa bilimbi, Antidesma bunius, Canavalia ensiformis, Coccinia grandis, Cordia dichotoma, Ipomoea alba, Momordica denudata, Sauropus androgynus and Solanum violaceum. For each species, 100 seeds [20 seeds per replicate (n = 5)] were stored in unsealed polyethylene bags under three storage conditions: exposure to wood smoke, cold temperature (refrigeration at 4 °C) and room temperature. Seed viability and germination were evaluated at 0, 3, and 6 months under species-specific light conditions. For dormant seeds, established dormancy breaking treatments were applied manual scarification for A. bunius, C. dichotoma, and M. denudata and GA₃ treatment for C. grandis and S. violaceum. Results indicated that all species maintained high viability and germination rates (>80%) after six months of storage under all conditions, comparable to freshly collected seeds (p>0.05). However, the time to reach 50% and maximum germination was significantly reduced in A. bilimbi, C. ensiformis, I. alba and S. androgynus when stored under smoking conditions. In contrast, seeds of C. grandis and M. denudata exhibited significantly reduced mean germination time when stored at room temperature (p<0.001). This study confirms that all species can be stored for up to six months under all storage conditions without compromising seed viability or germination percentage. However, specific storage conditions may offer added benefits in reducing germination time for certain species namely, room temperature storage for C. grandis and M. denudata and smoke exposure for A. bilimbi, C. ensiformis, I. alba and S. androgynus. Long-term seed storage preserves genetic diversity and ensures reliable propagation of these underutilized fruit species for sustainable agriculture.