The Effect of Traditional Shade-drying Method on Seed Germination and Vigour of Two Varieties of Tomato

Abstract

The effect of traditional shade-drying method on the seed germination and vigour of two varieties of tomato was investigated. The experiment was conducted at the seed testing laboratory of The National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan, Nigeria in July 2015. The seed samples were dried for one week in the drying chambers and thereafter evaluated for germination and vigour tests. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replications, in 2 x 2 factorial scheme. Two varieties of tomato (Ibadan local and Alausa) and two drying methods: traditional (shade-drying with an electric fan at a temperature between 23.5 to 32.3°C) and mechanical (seed dryer at 35°C) were evaluated. The germination Short Research Article