Effects of Germplasm Accessions and Packaging Materials on The Quality Characteristics of Roselle Seeds

Paul Kweku Tandoh; Ben Kwaku Branoh Banful; Irene Akua Idun

doi:10.4314/just.v42i1.1543

Dr. Paul Kweku Tandoh Department of Horticulture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8110-7333
Prof. Ben Kwaku Branoh Banfu Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2268-6122
Dr. Irene Akua Idun Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1630-1719

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v42i1.1543

Keywords: antioxidants, conservation, deterioration, nutrition, orthodox, pathogenic

Abstract

Globally, the nutritional and economic importance of the Roselle plant cannot be underestimated. One of the major challenges that come with the conservation of the seeds is the rapid loss of seed quality due to the use of inappropriate packaging materials. This study was conducted to determine the effect of accessions and storage packaging materials on the quality characteristics of the Roselle seeds stored for 12 months. A 12 x 5 factorial arrangement in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications was used. The first factor was accessions at twelve levels (HS08, HS11, HS19, HS25, HS27, HS32, HS41, HS58, HS59, HS69, HS83, H86). The second factor was storage packaging materials at five levels (paper bag, ziplock bag, pot, plastic bottle and no packaging). The study revealed that storage packaging significantly affected the physiological and biochemical properties of the roselle seeds such that seeds which were packaged in bottles and ziplock bags performed better as compared to the other packaging materials (paper, pot) and the unpackaged seeds. Seeds stored in the bottle and ziplock led to high percentage germination and seed vigour. Seeds of accession HS08 packaged in either bottle and ziplock bag had the highest total phenolic content as well as the highest antioxidant capacity. Pathogenic fungi found on the seeds in the various packaging materials were least in the bottle and ziplock bag. In conclusion, for a long-term conservation of roselle seeds it is imperative to use bottles and ziplock bags.

Author Biographies

Dr. Paul Kweku Tandoh, Department of Horticulture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Paul Kweku Tandoh is a Lecturer at the Department of Horticulture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. He holds PhD and MPhil in Seed Science and Technology and BSc. Agriculture from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi-Ghana. Dr. Tandoh has 17 years working experience with this University starting as a Senior Technician and rising to the rank of a Lecturer. He currently serves as the Assistant Examinations Officer in the Department of Horticulture. Dr. Tandoh’s research interests include seed production of indigenous crops, seed dormancy-release and seed quality evaluation of vegetables, cereals, legumes and forest tree species.

Prof. Ben Kwaku Branoh Banfu, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Prof. Ben Kwaku Branoh Banful is a Full Professor and the immediate past Provost of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), Kwame Nkrumah University ofScience and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. He holds a PhD & MPhil in Agronomy from the University of Ghana and BSc. Agriculture, from the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast. He has many years of university teaching, research and administrative experience.Prior to this, he had 19 years of research and development experience from the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kumasi. In this University, he has served in examination and administrative positions as a Departmental Examinations Officer, Head of Department, Hall Master of Queen Elizabeth II Hall, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Prof. Banful’s research interests include cropping systems, soil fertility management and maintenance, plant population and plant arrangement studies, seed quality maintenance of vegetables, cereals and legumes.

Dr. Irene Akua Idun, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Irene Akua Idun is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Horticulture of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. She is a graduate of KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana (BSc and MSc) and Stellenbosch University, South Africa (PhD). Dr. Idun has served as a Departmental Examinations Officer for both the Regular and Distance Learning streams and held administrative position as Head of Department. Her teaching and research works focus on major topics in sensory evaluations and drivers of consumer preference for horticultural products, propagation techniques using both sexual and asexual means with media manipulations for both difficult to germinate seeds and difficult to root propagules, use of various postharvest techniques for enhancing shelf life as well as, food safety for various fruits and vegetables.