EFFECT OF THIRAM TREATMENT ON SORGHUM SEED QUALITY IN RELATION TO ACCELERATED AGING

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) seeds were treated with thiram and subjected to accelerated ageing for six days. The seed quality was assessed based on germination, mould count and other biochemical para meters. The seeds treated with thiram showed a higher percentage germi nation when compared to that of untreated seeds from the accelerated a geing regime. The mould counts were less in thiram-treated seeds up to four days of accelerated ageing. The thiram content decreased signifi cantly after four days of ageing. The ergosterol and free fatty acid c ontents increased sharply in thiram treated seeds after four days of a geing. The treated seeds showed higher formazan content after six days of accelerated ageing which was comparable with that of untreated see ds aged for four days. The lipoxygenase activity at the end of six day s of accelerated ageing was higher in thiram-treated seeds when compar ed with that of the untreated seeds. The various seed quality paramete rs analysed indicated that thiram treatment could delay the seed deter ioration process under adverse storage conditions.