Hostname: page-component-669899f699-tpknm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-05-01T07:33:17.580Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A multifactorial study of conditions influencing longevity of neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2008

Moctar Sacandé ,
Folkert A. Hoekstra ,
Jaap G. van Pijlen  and
Steven P. C. Groot
Moctar Sacandé*
Affiliation:
Centre National de Semences Forestières (CNSF), B.P. 2682, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences, Lab. of Plant Physiology, Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU), Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD Wageningen, The Netherlands DLO-Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO), PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Folkert A. Hoekstra
Affiliation:
Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences, Lab. of Plant Physiology, Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU), Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD Wageningen, The Netherlands
Jaap G. van Pijlen
Affiliation:
DLO-Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO), PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Steven P. C. Groot
Affiliation:
DLO-Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research (CPRO), PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
*
* Tel: +31 317 482806 Fax: +31 317 484740 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The longevity of neem, Azadirachta indica, seeds from African Sahelian (Burkina Faso) and Asian (Sri Lanka) provenances was studied over two years of storage under different conditions of moisture and temperature. After drying to equilibrium moisture content (MC) at different relative humidities at 20°C, seeds were placed in open storage at 20°C or hermetically sealed in packets at temperatures ranging from −20 to +20°C. There was hardly any difference in storage behaviour between seed batches / lots, whatever their provenance. Seeds originating from mature yellow fruits lived longer than seeds from green or brown fruits. In all storage experiments with seeds having MCs ≥ 10%, viability was preserved best at 10−15°C, indicating that neem seed is chilling (and freezing) sensitive. There was no survival longer than 2 years under these conditions. At MCs of 4–8%, seeds were considerably more tolerant of low temperature storage and had 40–60% viability after 2 years at all temperatures tested (−20 to +20°C). However, the seeds were sensitive to imbibitional stress, which could be alleviated by imbibition at temperatures of 25–30°C or above. The difficult storage behaviour of neem seed seems to stem from: (1) the sensitivity to low temperatures at MCs ≥ 10%; (2) the extreme sensitivity to imbibitional stress after storage at ≤ 8% MC; (3) underestimation of the water activity due to the high oil content of the neem seeds, causing unexpected metabolic stress in the higher MC and temperature range.

Keywords

Azadirachta indicaneemseed storageseed longevitydesiccationgerminationtemperatureimbibitional stress
Type
Physiology & Biochemistry
Information
Seed Science Research , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 1998 , pp. 473 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bellefontaine, R. and Audinet, M. (1993) La conservation des graines de neem (Azadirachta indica), pp 268–274in Somé, L.M.; De Kam, M. (Eds) Tree seed problems, with special reference to Africa. Leiden, Netherlands, Backhuys Publishers.Google Scholar
Chaisurisri, K., Ponoy, B. and Wasuwanich, P. (1986) Storage of Azadirachta indica A.Juss. seeds. Embryon 2, 19–27.Google Scholar
Chin, H.F., Krishnapillay, B. and Stanwood, P.C. (1989) Seed moisture: recalcitrant vs. orthodox seeds. pp 15–22in Stanwood, P.C.; McDonald M.B. (Eds) Seed moisture, CSSA Special Publ. No. 14. Madison, USA, Crop Science Society of America.Google Scholar
CNSF (Centre National de Semences Forestières). (1993) Fiches de production de plants en pépinière. Note technique No 4. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Centre National de Semences Forestières.Google Scholar
Corbineau, F. and Côme, D. (1988) Storage of recalcitrant seeds of four tropical species. Seed Science and Technology 16, 97–103.Google Scholar
Crowe, J.H., Hoekstra, F.A., Crowe, L.M., Anchordoguy, T.J. and Drobnis, E. (1989a) Lipid phase transitions measured in intact cells with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Cryobiology 26, 76–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crowe, J.H., Hoekstra, F.A. and Crowe, L.M. (1989b) Membrane phase transitions are responsible for imbibitional damage in dry pollen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 86, 520–523.Google Scholar
Crowe, J.H., Hoekstra, F.A. and Crowe, L.M. (1992) Anhydrobiosis. Annual Review of Physiology 54, 579–599.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crowe, J.H., Crowe, L.M., Carpenter, J.F., Prestrelski, S.J. and Hoekstra, F.A. (1997) Anhydrobiosis: cellular adaptations to extreme dehydration. pp 1445–1477in Dantzler, W.H. (Ed) Handbook of physiology section 13, Comparative physiology, Vol II. Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Dickie, J.B. and Smith, R.D. (1992) Limits to the survival of essentially orthodox seeds at low moisture contents in some woody species. Poster, Fourth international workshop on seeds, Angers, France.Google Scholar
Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. (1980) Improved equations for the prediction of seed longevity. Annals of Botany 45, 13–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1990) An intermediate category of seed storage behaviour? I. Coffee. Journal of Experimental Botany 41, 1167–1174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R.H., Hong, T.D. and Roberts, E.H. (1991) Effect of storage temperature and moisture content on the germination of papaya seeds. Seed Science Research 1, 69–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ezumah, B.S. (1986) Germination and storage of neem (Azadirachta indica A.Juss.) seeds. Seed Science and Technology 14, 593–600.Google Scholar
FAO (1995) Procedures for seed collection and exchange. International Neem Network. Souvannavong, O.; Poulsen, K.M. (Eds) Rome, Italy, FAO.Google Scholar
Gamené, C.S., Kraak, H.L., Van Pijlen, J.G. and De Vos, C.H.R. (1996) Storage behaviour of neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds from Burkina Faso. Seed Science and Technology 24, 441–448.Google Scholar
Gunasena, H.P.M. and Marambe, B. (1995) Storage technology for neem seeds: Sri Lanka experience. Multipurpose Tree Species Network – Sri Lanka 4, 6–7.Google Scholar
Hoekstra, F.A., Crowe, J.H. and Crowe, L.M. (1989) Membrane behavior in drought and its physiological significance. pp 71–88in Taylorson, R.B. (Ed.) Recent advances in the development and germination of seeds. New York, USA, Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoekstra, F.A., Crowe, J.H. and Crowe, L.M. (1992) Germination and ion leakage are linked with phase transitions of membrane lipids during imbibition of Typha latifolia pollen. Physiologia Plantarum 84, 29–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoekstra, F.A., Wolkers, W.F., Buitink, J., Golovina, E.A., Crowe, J.H. and Crowe, L.M. (1997) Membrane stabilization in the dry state. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 117A, 335–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hong, T.D. and Ellis, R.H. (1998) Contrasting seed storage behaviour among different species of Meliaceae. Seed Science and Technology 26, (in press).Google Scholar
Hong, T.D., Linington, S. and Ellis, R.H. (1996) Seed storage behaviour: a compendium. Handbooks for Genebanks No 4. Rome, Italy, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).Google Scholar
ISTA (International Seed Testing Association). (1993) International rules for seed testing. Seed Science and Technology 21, 25–30; 37–41.Google Scholar
Kraak, H.L. (1993) Physiological aspects of storage of recalcitrant seeds. pp 239–253in Somé, L.M.; De Kam, M. (Eds) Tree seed problems, with special reference to Africa. Leiden, Netherlands, Backhuys Publishers.Google Scholar
Leprince, O., Hendry, G.A.F. and McKersie, B.D. (1993) The mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in developing seeds. Seed Science Research 3, 231–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leprince, O., Van Aelst, A.C., Pritchard, H.W. and Murphy, D.J. (1998) Oleosins prevent oil-body coalescence during seed imbibition as suggested by a low-temperature scanning electron microscope study of desiccation-tolerant and -sensitive oilseeds. Planta 204, 109–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lyons, J.M., Raison, J.K. and Steponkus, P.L. (1979) The plant membrane in response to low temperature: an overview. pp 1–24in Lyons, J.M.; Graham, D.; Raison, J.K. (Eds) Low temperature stress on crop plants. The role of the membrane. New York, USA, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Maithani, G.P., Bahuguna, V.K., Rawat, M.M.S. and Sood, O.P. (1989) Fruit maturity and interrelated effects of temperature and container on longevity of neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds. Indian Forester 115, 89–97.Google Scholar
Msanga, H.P. (1996) Effect of fruit ripeness stages and seed moisture content on storability and germination of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed. pp 201–209in Olesen, K. (Ed.) Proceedings of the IUFRO Symposium, group P.204.00 Seed problems. Arusha, Tanzania, Danida Forest Seed Centre (DFSC).Google Scholar
National Research Council (1992) Neem: A tree for solving global problems. Washington DC, USA, National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Ooms, J.J.J., Leon-Kloosterziel, K.M., Bartels, D., Koornneef, M. and Karssen, C.M. (1993) Acquisition of desiccation tolerance and longevity in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana. A comparative study using abscisic acid-insensitive abi3 mutants. Plant Physiology 102, 1185–1191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Platt-Aloia, K.A. and Thomson, W.W. (1987) Freeze fracture evidence for lateral phase separations in the plasmalemma of chilling-injured avocado fruit. Protoplasma 136, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ponnuswamy, A.S., Vinaya Rai, R.S., Surendran, C. and Karivaratharaju, T.V. (1990) Studies on maintaining seed longevity and the effect of fruit grades in neem (Azadirachta indica). Journal of Tropical Forest Science 3, 285–290.Google Scholar
Poulsen, K. (1996) Case study: neem (Azadirachta indica) seed research. pp 14–22in Ouédraogo, A.S.; Poulsen, K.; Stubsgaard, F. (Eds) Improved methods for the handling and storage of intermediate/recalcitrant tropical forest tree seeds. Rome, Italy, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).Google Scholar
Roberts, E.H. (1973) Predicting the storage life of seeds. Seed Science and Technology 1, 499–514.Google Scholar
Roberts, E.H. and Ellis, R.H. (1989) Water and seed survival. Annals of Botany 63, 39–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rockland, L.B. (1960) Saturated salt solutions for static control of relative humidity between 5 and 40°C. Analytical Chemistry 32, 1375–1376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roederer, Y. and Bellefontaine, R. (1989) Can neem seeds be expected to keep their germinative capacity for several years after collection? Forest Genetic Resources Information 17, 30–33.Google Scholar
Sacandé, M., Van Pijlen, J.G., De Vos, C.H.R., Hoekstra, F.A., Bino, R.J. and Groot, S.P.C. (1996) Intermediate storage behaviour of neem tree (Azadirachta indica) seeds from Burkina Faso. pp 101–104in Ouédraogo, A.S.; Poulsen, K.; Stubsgaard, F. (Eds) Improved methods for the handling and storage of intermediate/recalcitrant tropical forest tree seeds. Rome, Italy, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).Google Scholar
Sacandé, M., Groot, S.P.C., Hoekstra, F.A., De Castro, R. and Bino, R.J. (1997) Cell cycle events in developing neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds: are they related to intermediate storage behaviour? Seed Science Research 7, 161–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmutterer, H. (1995) The neem tree: Azadirachta indica A.Juss. and other meliaceous plants: Sources of unique natural products for integrated pest management, medicine, industry and other purposes. Weinheim, Germany, VCH.Google Scholar
Tetteroo, F.A.A., de Bruijn, A.Y., Henselmans, R.N.M., Wolkers, W.F., van Aelst, A.C. and Hoekstra, F.A. (1996) Characterization of membrane properties in desiccation-tolerant and -intolerant carrot somatic embryos. Plant Physiology 111, 403–412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tewari, D.N. (1992) Monograph on neem (Azadirachta indica A.Juss.). India Council of Research and Education, Dehra Dun, International Book Distributors.Google Scholar
Tompsett, P.B. (1994) Capture of genetic resources by collection and storage of seed: a physiological approach. pp 61–71in Leakey, R.R.B.; Newton, A.C. (Eds) Tropical trees: the potential for domestication and the rebuilding of forest resources. ITE Symposium No 29, ECTF Symposium No 1, London, HMSO.Google Scholar
Von, Maydell H.J. (1986) Trees and shrubs of the Sahel: their characteristics and uses. Eschborn, Germany, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit.Google Scholar
Wang, C.Y. (1982) Physiological and biochemical responses of plants to chilling stress. HortScience 17, 173–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamawaki, K., Yamauchi, N., Chachin, K. and Iwata, T. (1983) Relationships of mitochondrial enzyme activity to chilling injury of cucumber fruit. Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science 52, 93–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yoshida, S., Kawata, T., Uemura, M. and Niki, T. (1986) Properties of plasma membrane isolated from chilling-sensitive etiolated seedlings of Vigna radiata L. Plant Physiology 80, 152–160.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed