Interactive Effects of Moisture Content and Packaging Material on Common Bean Seed Yield and Yield Components

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) provides nutritional, economic and health benefits. Ghana has introduced the first four commercial varieties for adoption. Maintaining seed quality in storage is challenged in the humid regions due to high temperature and high relative humidity. The study determined the interactive effects of seed moisture content (MC) and packaging material on quality of seeds stored for 8 months and subsequent seed yield and yield related components. A 2x2 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used, replicated three times. Seeds were dried to 8 and 11% MC, kept in polythene bags and plastic containers and stored for 8 months under ambient and cold conditions. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) for plant stand at two weeks after planting, days to first and fifty percent flowering, chlorophyll content, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and seed yield. Leaf area index of plants developed from seeds dried to 8% MC and packed in polythene bags were significantly higher than the other interaction effects. The lowest plant stand was observed in plants developed from seeds dried to 11% MC and packed in plastic containers. 1000SW of seeds dried to 11% MC and packaged in plastic containers were 32.77% higher than in seeds dried to 8% MC and packaged in plastic containers. The Ennepa common bean seeds can be dried to 11% MC and packaged in polythene bags and stored for 8 months without significant seed deterioration.