EFFECT OF SULPHUR, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM AND BRADYRHIZOBIUM FERTILIZATION ON THE SEED n QUALITY OF GROUNDNUT

Abstract

The study aimed at determining the effect of fertilizer elements sulphur, calcium, magnesium and Brodyrhizobium fertilization in improving the quality of groundnut seed, its storage performance by maintaining three loved of initial moisture content of seed and storing in two type of storage edits The field experiment was conducted in 1997-98 and 1998-99 in the Oil Seed Division, BARI Joydebpur, Gazipur and the laboratory experiments also were conducted in the laboratory of the same division. Results revealed that among the fertilizing elements sulphur and calcium affected significantly all the yield attributes and yield while magnesium affected the yield and some of the major yield attributes,and Bradyrhizobium fertilization affected the yield significantly, but the yield attributes fail to effect significantly. In storage,optimum doses of sulphur, calcium, and magnesium checked the deterioration of both the germination percentage and vigour index of stored seed than untreated sample but the inoculation failed to check the deterioration of groundnut. Storage container especially the polythene bags helped to maintain the storage life of seed. Seeds with 60kg S/ha, 150kg Ca/ha and 10kg Mg/ha stored in polythene bags retained the germination percentage up 1s denial level of ISTA (ranging between 70 to 80 %) for 5 months efficiently, Least initial moisture content of seed (7.25%) with the above doses of fertilizer element also played a vital role in keeping the quality of stored seed for up to 5 months. Results in the-respect of yield of pod, storage performance and percentage of germination and vigour index indicated that groundnut seed treated with fertilizer element during production and stored in polythene bags can retained better quality seeds, provided seeds were dried to a safe moisture level of 7.25% to 8.46%.