Impact of Dormancy-Modulating Chemical Treatments on Seed Storage Stability and Protein Profiling in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

Abstract

This study evaluates the effects of different dormancy-modulating chemical treatments on seed storability, physiological stability, and protein profile integrity in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) genotype IPM 2-3. Treatments included gibberellic acid (GA₃, 80 ppm), abscisic acid (ABA, 50 ppm), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂, 10 mM), maleic hydrazide (MH, 1000 ppm), potassium nitrate (KNO₃, 1 mM), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 100 ppm), and an untreated control. Seed viability and electrical conductivity (EC) were assessed at two-, four-, and six-months post-harvest to examine long-term impacts on membrane integrity and physiological health. The untreated control (T₀) maintained the highest viability (82.33% at two months, decreasing to 62.67% at six months) with the lowest EC values (0.213 dS/m/gm at two months, decreasing to 0.073 dS/m/gm at six months). Among treated seeds, GA₃ sustained high viability (79.33% initially, 59% at six months) and moderate EC values, suggesting enhanced storability. In contrast, MH treatment showed the lowest viability (42% at six months) and highest EC (0.303 dS/m/gm initially), indicating significant membrane degradation and compromised physiological health. SDS-PAGE protein profiling revealed that T₀, GA₃, and ABA treatments had strong protein bands at 60 kDa and 50 kDa, correlating with high viability and lower EC, whereas MH-treated seeds showed weak bands at 55 kDa and 45 kDa, indicating substantial protein degradation. Statistical analysis confirmed a negative correlation between seed viability and EC, and a positive correlation between viability and protein band intensity. Overall, GA₃ and ABA treatments support balanced dormancy modulation and storability, while MH adversely affects seed quality, providing valuable insights for optimizing mungbean seed storage practices.