Browsing by Author "Yaw Sakyi, Edwin"

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    Assessment of different maturity periods and processing methods on the seed quality of two okra varieties
    (JUNE, 2016 ) Yaw Sakyi, Edwin
    The field experiment to obtain okra seeds was carried out at Nkwakwa in the Offinso-North District of Ashanti where okra is extensively grown. The Laboratory investigations were done at the Ghana Grains and Legumes Development Board seed laboratory in Kumasi. The experiment was carried out between August 2014 and April 2015. The principal aim of the experiment was to assess the seed quality of two okra varieties harvested at different maturity stages and processed using different methods. Pods were harvested at physiological maturity stages and that of farmers maturity stages. Seeds were later processed using hand shelling of pods and pod pounding in mortar. Seed were further dried to a moisture content of 10% before carrying out the quality investigations. Five aspects of seed quality were investigated and these included purity, vigour, germination percentage, seed fungi and thousand seed weight. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that, okra pods harvested at physiological maturity gave better seed quality than those harvested at the farmers harvest period. The research also revealed that processing of dried pods using hand shelling gave higher seed quality than those processed through pounding in a mortar. For good quality okra seeds in terms of purity, vigour, germination percentage, seed health and thousand seed weight therefore, pods should be harvested at physiological maturity period and processed using hand shelling method.