SEED VIABILITY AND SEEDLING VIGOUR TRAITS OF GARDEN EGG (Solanum aethiopicum) AS AFFECTED BY STORAGE DURATION, CRUDE PLANT EXTRACT TREATMENTS AND STORAGE CONTAINERS.

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of crude plant treatments, storage containers and time of storage on seed viability and seedling vigour traits of egg plant (Solanum aethiopicum). The organic treatments used were powders of five plant materials (neem leaf, scent leaf, chilli pepper, garlic and Piper guinenses), one in-organic chemical (apron …) and a control which is not a mixture of any extract. Five storage containers (baft bags, thick polythene bags, galvanized iron tins, earthen pots, sealed bottles and glass bottles) were used and treated seeds in their respective containers and dozes were stored for 120 days under ambient conditions. Seed samples were tested at 30-day interval for seed viability and seedling vigour traits. The experiment was a factorial arranged in completely randomized design with three replicates. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means separated at 5% probability level using Tokey HSD Test. Viability of seeds at earlier periods (0-60) days of storage showed low deterioration as higher viability was still retained in most cases. Seeds that were stored inside baft bags retained higher seedling vigour index throughout the storage period while glass bottles maintained the least seedling vigour. Seeds stored inside baft bags also had highest viability, followed by thick polythene bags and earthen pots, whereas glass bottles recorded the least germination. Based on the effectiveness of the treatments materials, scent leaf and chilli pepper powders applied at the rate of 10g/100g seed were most effective compared to other treatments, irrespective of the storage containers. Storage of garden egg seed under favourable environment offer good potential for short term seed quality maintenance.