Effect of different storage conditions and techniques on viability of cocoa seeds (Theobroma cacao) cv. forestero

Storage of cocoa seeds with dry and moist charcoal in refrigerator (10 degrees C) and ambient condition (mean temp. 27 +/- 40 degrees C, RH. 74 +/- 4%) revealed that cocoa seeds mixed with moist charcoal and stored at 10 degrees C minimized the rate of drying and loss of viability upto 40 days. The lowest safe moisture content to retain 50 per cent viability and above appears to be 29 per cent. Cocoa seeds mixed with moist charcoal and stored at 10 degrees C maintained the maximum germination (47%), root length (8.04 cm), shoot length (33.36 cm) dry matter production (140 mg seedlings(-10)) and vigour index (1989) after 40 days of storage compared to dry charcoal in ambient condition and control seeds. The leakage of storage compared to dry charcoal in ambient condition and control seeds. The leakage of solute was more in untreated seeds (0.679dSm(-1)) than moist charcoal (at 10 degrees C) treated seeds (0.508dSm(-1)).