Effect of Packaging Materials and Storage Periods on the Vigor Parameters of Some Selected Varieties of Soybeans in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

This study was carried out in 2017 at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Nigeria. The study was aimed at evaluating the effect of packaging materials and storage period on the vigor parameters of some selected varieties of soybeans in Makurdi. The experimental design was 3x5x6 factorial CRD comprising 3 varieties, 5 storage periods and 6 packaging materials by 3 replicates. Samples were collected from National Cereal Research Institute, Yandev sub-station. The soybeans were cleaned, dried and the moisture content noted. Five hundred grams was measured into the various packaging material stored and at Strategic Grains Reserve, Federal Ministry of Agriculture Makurdi. The seeds in storage was sampled periodically (2, 4, 6 and 8 months) to determine quality by conducting standard germination test with 100 seeds (100 seeds/rep). The investigation revealed that V3 (TGx 1448-2E) stored for 2 months had the highest Shoot seedling length while V1 (TGx 923-3F) stored for 8 months had the least shoot seedling length. Soybeans stored in cloth had a very high Shoot seedling length at 2 months but dropped thereafter and turned out to be the lowest at the end of the storage period. V2 (TGx 1904-6F) stored in laminate paper produced the longest Shoot seedling length and also produced the shortest with V1. The seedling root length was longest in V3 stored for 2 months and least in V1 stored for 8months.Soybeans stored in cloth for 2 months produced very high SRL 2 months but dropped to 0.00 at the end of the storage period. V2 did better in LDPE than all the packaging materials. V1 had the shortest SRL in soybeans stored in bottle. The highest seedling vigor was recorded in V3 stored for 2 months while the lowest seedling vigor was recorded in V1 stored for 8 months. V2 in plastic container had the highest seedling vigor whileV1 in plastic had the lowest. However, significant differences were observed at (P< 0.05) in the interaction effect. In the present study, LDPE proved to be the best packaging material and the variety that had more resistance to deterioration was V2 (TGx 1904-6F). Soybeans that are stored at ambient should be in storage material that are impervious to air and moisture otherwise the seeds will lose viability and vigor. In addition, varieties that are prone to fast deterioration should not be stored longer.