Effect of Accelerated Ageing and Natural Storage on Germination, Seedling Growth and Reserves Depletion of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Seeds

This study was laid out in order to evaluate the effects of accelerated ageing and natural storage on seed germination and seedling heterotrophic growth of chickpea in Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources in 2014. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with four replications. Treatments were 8 ageing levels, such as (2 years, 4 years natural storage, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 days of accelerated ageing and control). Results showed that the effect of ageing treatment on all traits were significant. Reduction of germination percentage, germination rate, root and shoot length seed vigor index and seedling dry weight in 4 and 5 accelerated ageing days were higher than 2 and 4 natural storage years. Electrical conductivity of seed lots increased by increasing of accelerated ageing to 4 and 5 days that was more than 2 and 4 natural storage years due to non-ability of a membrane to keeping their permeability and refers to higher sensibility of seeds to accelerated ageing. Reduction of the rate and efficiency of reserves used and also reserves dynamic in natural storage was less than 4 and 5 accelerated ageing days, but maximum rate and efficiency of reserves used and also reserves dynamic was obtained at 2 accelerated ageing days because of increasing of repair reaction rates and more activated hydrolytic enzymes in seeds. In final, the results of the present study revealed that chickpea seed damages in 4 and 5 accelerated ageing days was more than 2 and 4 natural storage years that lead to the reduction of germination percentage and rate.