PHYSIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND STORAGE OF PEARL MILLET SEEDS AFFECTED BY SOWING TIME

Pearl millet is recommended to produce dry matter for no-tillage system, as forage or for grain yield. The sowing time affects the crop development; thus, it can affect seed quality and initial storage conditions. The present research had as objective to evaluate the effects of sowing time on pearl millet seeds quality during the storage. Pearl millet seeds from twelve monthly sowing times were stored in environmental conditions, with no temperature and relative humidity control, and evaluated by seed moisture content, germination and vigor (first count of the germination test and electrical conductivity) for 0, 27 and 42 months of storage. The completely random design was employed, as a factorial experiment 12 x 3 (sowing time x storage time), with four replications. Means were compared by Tukey test (p <= 0.05). Pearl millet seeds produced in September resulted in the production of seeds with high germination and vigor, evaluated by the electrical conductivity test. The capacity of quality conservation of pearl millet seeds, for different storage times, is related to crop sowing time.