Effect of Accelerated Ageing and Natural Storage on Germination, Seedling Growth and Reserves Depletion of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Seeds

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of accelerated aging and natural storage on seed germination and seedling heterotrophic growth of chickpea in Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 2014. The experiment was carried out, adopting a completely randomized design with four replications. Treatments were 8 aging levels (i.e., 2 years, and 4 years natural storage; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 days of accelerated aging and a control). The results showed that the effect of aging treatment on all the traits was significant. Reduction of germination percentage, germination rate, root and shoot length seed vigor index and seedling dry weight of 4 and 5 accelerated aging days was higher than 2 and 4 natural storage years. The electrical conductivity of seed lots increased by an increase in accelerated aging to 4 and 5 days, which was higher than 2 and 4 natural storage years. This is due to incapability of a membrane to keep its permeability, which is the result of the higher sensitivity of seeds to accelerated aging. Reduction of the rate and efficiency of reserves used and also dynamic reserves in natural storage was lower than 4 and 5 accelerated aging days. However, maximum rate and efficiency of reserves used and also dynamic reserves were obtained at 2 accelerated aging days. This could be due to increase in repair reaction rates under these conditions and activation of hydrolytic enzymes in seeds. Finally, the results of the present study revealed that damages to chickpea seed at 4 and 5 accelerated aging days are more than 2 and 4 natural storage years, which leads to the reduction of germination percentage and rate.