THE EFFECTS OF SUN AND OVEN-DRYING ON THE GERMINATION AND STORABILITY OF RICE (ORYZA SATIVA) SEEDS

TENG YEEW THAI and SHAHARUDDIN MOHD DAUD

SUMMARY

Sun-drying and oven-drying (40°C) were carried out on two rice varieties (Mahsuri and Pulut Malaysia I) to determine their effects on seed qulity in terms of seed germination and storability. Although sun-drying resulted in more rapid reduction in seed moisture, the final moisture content attained by the seeds was higher thant hat of the oven-dried seeds at the end of the eight-day drying period. There was no significant difference (P=0.05) in the germination of the sun-dried and oven-dried seeds during the drying period. The adverse effect of sun-drying became more evident during subsequent storage. This was shown by the more rapid deterioration of the sun-dried seeds especially under ambient conditions (28°-30°C; 80% RH).

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