Determining the Effect of Storage, Moisture and Temperature on Vigour and Viability of Rapeseed and Mustard

Primary objective of cultivating rape and mustard is for achieving higher oil content in addition to considerable amount of protein content. Rapeseed and mustard are considerably regarded as a highly potential source of providing edible oil thereby making it available all the year round by enhancing crop productivity mediated by scientific technological intervention and extension strategies. But due to the lack of awareness particularly in terms of adoption of technological interventions is one of the major constraints in realizing the potential productivity of the crop. In addition, failure to adopt proper harvesting and post harvest operations can lead to substantial losses. Therefore, during post harvest operations particularly threshing and storage of the crop are to be primarily emphasised for increasing the storage life of seeds. Seed vigor and viability plays a fundamental role in achieving good germination percent and hence its maintenance for an effective storage is an essential factor right from harvesting, curing, drying, cleaning, grading, transporting, storage and sowing. Relatively, seed moisture content and storage temperature are the two most important factors influencing seed longevity. In terms of pest infestations particularly occurring in mustard, management of pests at the right time and stage of oilseed crop is very important. Pest manipulation can be reduced or eliminated by proper drying of oilseeds particularly mustard to minimum moisture limit fixed by the guidelines approved by International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).