Effect of plant extracts as pre-storage seed treatment on storage fungi, germination percentage and seedling vigour of pea (Pisum sativum)

Eleven plant extracts, viz. Allium sativum (garlic), Adhatoda vasica (malabar nut), Vitex negundo (horseshoe vitex), Melia azadirachta (chinaberry tree), Tagetes erecta (aztec marigold), Cannabis sativa (cannabis), Lantana camara (lantana), Mentha piperata (Pepper mint), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Allium cepa (onion) were evaluated for their efficacy against storage rot fungi, germination percentage and seedling vigour of pea. All the plant extracts significantly reduced the storage rot fungi, i.e. Aspergillus sp., Alternaria alternata, A. solani, Phoma sp and Fusarium spp.; increased seed germination and seedling vigour index of pea. Vitex negundo and Melia azadirachta found equally effective with minimum storage rot of 1.94%, while the maximum storage rot was observed in control (13.84%) where no seed treatment was done. Maximum seed germination (89.08%) was found in the seed stored in cloth bags, while in plastic bags seed germination found was 88.40 per cent. Maximum germination (96.41%) was recorded in the seed treated with Mentha piperata, followed by the Tagetes erecta with 94.08 per cent seed germination. Maximum seedling length and dry matter was observed in Allium sativum treated seeds with 28.33 cm and 2.66 g. Maximum (2520) seedling vigour I was observed in Mentha piperata, similarly maximum (308) seedling vigour II was recorded in Mentha piperata. Minimum (2.37%) population of the mycoflora was obtained in seed treated with the Curcuma longa when stored in plastic boxes. Lowest (3.28%) mycoflora was observed in Vitex negundo treated seed when stored in cloth bags. Aspergillus sp. is the most frequently occurring fungi in storage of pea. Pea seeds developed less attack by storage fungi particularly with Alternaria alternata and A. solani while more association of Aspergillus spp., Phoma sp. and Fusarium spp. were observed with the seeds during storage period in different containers. However fewer microflora (16.40%) developed in cloth bags compared to plastic boxes (20.56%).