PA01.28. Pre-storage seed treatments for the maintenance of vigour & viability of aswagandha (Withania somnifera (l.) Dunal)

PURPOSE: Withania somnifera (L) Dunal is a perennial shrub from the Solanaceae family and well known medicinal plant. Traditionally it is known as Aswgaandha. The root extract has been traditionally used as a tonic and as a sedative but recent research shows that the leaf extract contains Withanolides which have been found to have regenerative properties on brain cell synapses in human cell lines in laboratory studies. Withania somnifera seeds are harvested in the month of March, April. Seed storage under ambient conditions is a very problematic due to prevailing high humidity and atmospheric temperature. If seeds stored under uncontrolled conditions, the viability may go down below ten percent after monsoon. So to maintain the vigour and viability of Withania somnifera seed during storage was essential for ensuring better crop stand. METHOD: Withania somnifera seed were dry dressed with finely powdered pharmaceutical formulations (aspirin, active ingredient ortho acetylesalicylic acid @ 100 mg / kg of seed; celin, active ingredient ascorbic acid @ 500 mg / kg of seed), chemicals (common bleaching powder, active ingredient calcium hypochlorite @ 2 g / kg of seed) and crude plant materials (finely powdered dried fruit of Capsicum frutescens (red chilli powder) and Catharanthus roseous leaf powder @ 2 g / kg of seed). After treatments germination test were carried out by standards germination test method and seed vigour also studied by the measurement of root and shoot length. RESULT: Seed deterioration was very fast after monsoon months in uncontrolled storage. More or less all dry dressing treatments significantly slowed down seed deterioration in comparison to untreated control under subsequent storage conditions. CONCLUSION: The result indicates that pre storage dry dressing treatments of Withania somnifera seed with aspirin and red chilli powder are suggested for the maintenance of seed viability during storage period and they are inexpensive.