Effect of Different Storage Conditions on Indian Lettuce Seed Vigor

Effects of different storage conditions,four seed moisture contents of 6.94%,3.27%,1.24% and 0.98% and six storage temperatures,normal temperature,25℃,15℃,10℃,3℃ and-15℃,together with five storage periods of 3,6,9,12 or 16 months on Indian lettuce seed vigor were studied in this paper.The result showed that both the storage temperature and seed moisture content significantly affect Indian lettuce seed vigor.Under the storage conditions of-15℃-15℃,the Indian Lettuce seed vigor was relatively high(germination rate was 33%-42% through 16 months storage) while under the storage conditions of normal temperature or 25℃,the vigor of Indian Lettuce seed significantly decreased and the seed vigor was almost completely lost after stored for 16 months(germination rate was 1.9%-2.4%).The optimum seed moisture content was influenced by storage temperature.When storage temperature was 25℃ and the seed moisture contents were 0.98%,1.24% or 3.27%,the seed germination rates were 30%,30% and 34.7%,respectively.Whereas the germination rate was only 14% when seed moisture content was 6.94%,significant different from the formers(P0.05).