Effect of organic and inorganic seed treatments on seed health of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted on French beans (phaseolus vulgaris L.) to investigate the effect of organic and inorganic seed treatments on seed health. The seeds of French bean were subjected to different seed treatments viz., T0: Control (untreated), T1: Neem leaf powder @5g/kg of seed, T2: neem oil @5ml/kg of seed, T3: Castor oil @5ml/kg of seed, T4: karanj oil @5ml/kg of seed, T5: vekhand powder @10g/kg of seed, T6: Termuric powder @5g/kg of seed, T7: Citronella oil @5ml/kg of seed, T8: Ash @5g/kg of seeds, T9: Deltamethrin @0.04ml/kg of seed. Seed health was tested for different parameters viz., pulse beetle infestation, seed weight loss, egg-laying, adult emergence, percent mortality, dead insects and live insects. The bio-efficacy test was undertaken to find out the effect of chemicals and different botanicals against pulse beetle in French bean seed. Results revealed that seeds treated with Deltamethrin @0.04ml/kg of seed significantly recorded the lowest pulse beetle infestation (1.33%), lower number of egg-laying (11.00), lowest number of adult emergence (1.67), lowest seed weight loss (4.67%), highest mortality (87.8%), higher dead insect (15.00) and lower live insect (5.00) at the end of storage period. Among the botanicals, seed treated with neem oil @5 ml/kg of seed showed higher seed quality and health parameters. From the present investigation, the seed treated with organic and inorganic components protected the seed health while, the control seed deteriorated at the end of the storage period.