Author : Suyadi Mitrowihardjo

Summary : Viability and vigor (speed of germination, seedling growth rate) of all varieties (BPI-Sy 4, AGS-208, and EG Sy-19) decrease under all aging types (accelerated aging (42-43 deg C and 90-100 percent RH), modified-accelerated aging (34-36 deg C and 80-90 percent RH), and natural aging (25-30 deg C and 70-80 percent RH) over progressive aging, but the rates of decrease varied with variety and type of aging, but the rates of decrease varied with variety and type of aging. Regression coefficients for viability over period of aging were highly significant with varieties exhibiting significantly different coefficients. Variety BPI-Sy4 generally showed slower rates of deterioration than AGS-208 and EG Sy-19. Under any period of accelerated aging, no significant differences in viability nor vigor were found among seeds with or without antioxidant treatment. Under modified-accelerated aging and natural aging conditions, viability and vigor of seeds with antioxidant were significantly higher than seeds without antioxidant. However, the advantage is only very slight (3.4 - 5.1 percent). No significant differences were found between seeds with BHT (butylated-hydroxytoluene) and alpha-tocopherol treatments. Soybean seed viability vigor were highly and significantly correlated with iodine value, peroxide value, and solute leachates under all aging conditions, suggesting that lipid peroxidation may be an important indicator of deterioration even under higher mositure storage. The only slight advantage of antioxidant treatments over the control however may indicate that processes other than those which can be protected by the antioxidant are operating.