A method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life.

Abstract

This invention discloses a dry heat treatment method for tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, relating to the field of tomato seed storage technology. The method includes: selecting mature, plump, and undamaged commercial tomato seeds with consistent maturity and maintaining appropriate moisture content; placing the pre-treated seeds in a single layer on a tray and placing it in a dry heat treatment device, performing dry heat treatment sequentially according to a preset program; comparing the germination indicators of dry heat-treated and untreated seeds to determine the effect of the dry heat treatment; and sealing and storing tomato seeds with qualified germination rates. This invention, through precisely controlled stepwise heating and high-temperature constant-temperature sterilization, effectively activates the seed's internal repair enzyme system while inhibiting metabolic processes that lead to seed deterioration, avoiding physical or physiological damage to the seeds caused by high-temperature treatment, and effectively preventing seed coat cracking, radicle burn, or excessive dehydration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of seed storage technology, and in particular to a dry heat treatment method for tomato seeds that enhances seed vigor and extends storage life. Background Technology

[0002] Tomatoes are one of the world's most important vegetable crops, and seed quality directly affects field germination rate, seedling vigor, and final yield. Dry heat treatment, as a physical disinfection method, effectively inactivates seed-borne viruses and bacteria by placing seeds in a high-temperature, low-humidity environment for a certain period of time, while avoiding chemical residues. However, conventionally used parameters (such as 70℃ for 72 hours) are mainly for immediate disinfection, posing a potential risk of damaging seed viability, manifested as a possible decrease in immediate germination vigor after treatment, and the effect is unstable depending on crop varieties. Currently, professional dry heat treatment equipment is only described in terms of equipment specifications; however, due to the species specificity of certain vegetable varieties, no research has been conducted on specific species.

[0003] Current technologies employ equipment such as drying ovens to perform temporary dry heat treatment on seeds, focusing only on the immediate effects of pre-sowing treatment, such as germination rate and disease clearance rate. However, they completely neglect or fail to systematically study the issue of seed viability maintenance during commercial storage, distribution, and even farmer storage. Natural aging of seeds during storage, leading to decreased viability, is a significant factor causing agricultural losses and devaluation for seed companies.

[0004] Therefore, this invention proposes a dry heat treatment method for tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a dry heat treatment method for tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, thereby solving existing technical problems.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides a method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, comprising: S1. Select commercial tomato seeds that are uniformly mature, plump, and undamaged, and maintain them with an appropriate moisture content. S2, the pretreated seeds are laid in a single layer in a tray and placed in a dry heat treatment device, and dry heat treatment is carried out in sequence according to the preset program; S3, seeds after dry heat treatment and untreated seeds were selected respectively for germination index comparison and determination to judge the effect of dry heat treatment on seeds; S4. Seal and store tomato seeds with qualified germination rates.

[0007] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this invention include at least the following: This invention utilizes precisely controlled, stepped heating and high-temperature constant-temperature sterilization to effectively activate the seed's internal repair enzyme system while simultaneously inhibiting metabolic processes that lead to seed deterioration. Experimental data shows that the germination rate of untreated control seeds was 92%, while the germination rate of seeds treated with this method increased to 96%–97.5%, with the highest value of 97.5% achieved in the 72℃ treatment group after 48 hours. Simultaneously, germination potential and germination index also improved, indicating more uniform and rapid seedling emergence, reliably ensuring high seedling survival rates in the field, and providing high-quality sowing materials for agricultural production.

[0008] The method of this invention avoids physical or physiological damage to seeds caused by high-temperature treatment by precisely controlling the humidity and rehydration process during the treatment. It enables the seeds to slowly recover to a suitable moisture state, effectively preventing seed coat cracking, radicle burn or excessive dehydration.

[0009] The method of this invention not only enhances vitality and extends lifespan, but also has a physical bactericidal and inactivating effect. Continuing at 70℃~72℃ for 48 hours is sufficient to effectively inactivate common seed-borne pathogens such as tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and bacterial canker carried on the surface and inside of tomato seeds, thereby reducing the occurrence of seedling diseases, reducing the amount of chemical pesticides used, and meeting the requirements of green agriculture and sustainable production. Attached Figure Description

[0010] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0012] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example

[0013] A dry heat treatment method for tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life.

[0014] Please refer to Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] S1, select commercial tomato seeds that are uniformly mature, plump, and undamaged, and maintain them with an appropriate moisture content, including: S101: Select 5KG of commercial tomato seeds, and remove seeds with abnormal color, damaged seed coat, deformity, and inconsistent maturity to ensure that the seeds are of uniform maturity, plump and undamaged. It should be noted that during the screening of tomato commercial seeds, the seeds are placed in clean water and stirred to remove shriveled seeds, impurities, and seeds with obvious mechanical damage that float on the surface of the water. The plump seeds that sink to the bottom of the water are collected, and the washed seeds are spread on a light sorting table or a manual light inspection table for screening. Tomato commercial seeds with uniform maturity, plumpness, and no damage are selected.

[0016] S102, the selected seeds are placed in a constant temperature and humidity drying oven for staged drying; It should be noted that the seeds were sampled every hour during the drying process, and the moisture content of the seeds was measured using a seed moisture meter to ensure that the moisture content of the seeds decreased with the drying time until the moisture content of the seeds dropped to the range of 5%-10%.

[0017] S103 involves placing seeds with the target moisture content in a sealed container and letting them stand at 20℃-25℃ for 12-24 hours to ensure even distribution of moisture inside the seeds.

[0018] Staged drying includes a slow drying stage and a fast drying stage; During the slow drying stage, the seeds are dried for 2-4 hours at a temperature of 25℃-30℃ and a relative humidity of 20%-25%. During the rapid drying stage, maintain the temperature at 30℃-35℃ and relative humidity at 15%-20% to quickly dry to the target moisture content.

[0019] It should be noted that the target moisture content of the seeds during the drying stage is preferably 7%.

[0020] S2, the pretreated seeds are laid in a single layer in a tray and placed in a dry heat treatment device, and dry heat treatment is carried out in sequence according to the preset program; S201, the pretreated tomato seeds are evenly spread in a single layer with a thickness of 10mm in a tray with a length of 600mm × width of 400mm × height of 40mm; It should be noted that the preferred seed load for each tray is 2.4kg-2.6kg.

[0021] S202, multiple processing programs are preset and run in the control system of the dry heat treatment equipment. After the program is completed, heating is stopped and the seeds are taken out after they have cooled naturally to 40°C.

[0022] It should be noted that after the program is completed, when the equipment has naturally cooled down to below 40℃, the tray should be removed and placed in a room temperature environment of 20℃-25℃ for 24 hours to air dry.

[0023] The multi-stage processing procedure includes preheating, step heating, high-temperature constant temperature sterilization, gradient cooling, and gradient rehumidification.

[0024] It should be noted that the specific parameters for the multi-segment processing procedure are as follows: Preheating phase: Section 1, temperature 37℃, humidity 1, (dehumidification) light {0}, running time 10min; Section 2, temperature 37℃, humidity 1, (dehumidification) light {0}, running time 360min (6h); Step-by-step heating phase: Section 3, temperature 45℃, humidity 1, (dehumidification) light {0}, running time 10min; Section 4, temperature 45℃, humidity 1, (dehumidification) light {0}, running time 120min (2h); High-temperature constant-temperature sterilization stage: Section 5, temperature 55℃, humidity 1, light intensity {0}, running time 10min; Section 6, temperature 55℃, humidity 1, light intensity {0}, running time 8640min (144h); Gradient cooling stage: Section 7, temperature 45℃, humidity 10%, light {0}, running time 10min; Section 8, temperature 45℃, humidity 10%, light {0}, running time 120min (2h); Section 9, temperature 40℃, humidity 20%, light {0}, running time 10min; Section 10, temperature 40℃, humidity 20%, light {0}, running time 120min (2h); Section 11, temperature 37℃, humidity 30%, light {0}, running time 10min; Section 12, temperature 37℃, humidity 30%, light {0}, running time 120min (2h); Section 13, temperature 35℃, humidity 50%, light {0}, running time 10min; Gradient reversion phase: Section 14, temperature 35℃, humidity 50%, light {0}, running time 360min (6h); Section 15, temperature 0℃, humidity 1%, light intensity {0}, running time 0min.

[0025] S3, seeds after dry heat treatment and untreated seeds were selected respectively for germination index comparison and determination to judge the effect of dry heat treatment on seeds; S301, 300 test seeds were randomly selected from each of the dry heat-treated seed batch and the untreated control seed batch as the treatment group and the control group, respectively. It should be noted that the seeds need to be pretreated before testing. The specific steps are as follows: Place germination paper or gauze in the germination box and moisten it with purified water or deionized water until saturated, then remove excess water; arrange the test seeds evenly on the germination bed, keeping the distance between seeds no less than 1-2 times the seed diameter to ensure full contact between the seeds and the germination bed; place the germination box in a constant temperature incubator, controlling the temperature at 25℃±1℃, and the light conditions as 16 hours of light / 8 hours of darkness or continuous darkness, with a culture period of 14 days; from the day of placement, observe and record the number of germinated seeds daily, with the radicle breaking through the seed coat and reaching more than 1 / 2 of the seed diameter as the germination standard, and continue recording until the 14th day.

[0026] S302, calculate the germination potential, germination rate, germination index and seed water loss rate of the dry heat treatment group and the control group respectively; It should be noted that the specific calculation process is as follows: Germination potential / % = (Number of germinated seeds on day N / Number of seeds) × 100; Germination rate / % = (Number of germinated seeds on day N / Number of seeds tested) × 100 (determined according to national standard method); Germination Index (GI) = ∑(Gt / Dt), where: Gt is the number of germinated plants on day t, and Dt is the corresponding germination time; Seed water loss rate (%) = (seed mass before treatment - seed mass after treatment) / seed mass before treatment × 100.

[0027] S303, compare the germination index of the dry heat treatment group with the control group to determine whether the dry heat treatment effect is qualified.

[0028] The specific criteria for judgment are: germination rate ≥96%, germination potential ≥90%, germination index ≥10% higher than that of the control group, and seed water loss rate controlled within the range of 5%-15% in the dry heat treatment group.

[0029] It should be noted that the following results are considered unqualified: germination rate of dry heat treatment group <85%, germination rate of dry heat treatment group decreases by more than 5% compared with control group, germination potential of dry heat treatment group decreases by more than 10% compared with control group, and the proportion of abnormal seedlings such as radicle necrosis and cotyledon malformation in dry heat treatment group is ≥5%.

[0030] S4. Tomato seeds with qualified germination rate are sealed and stored. Sealed storage uses different storage methods depending on the storage duration, including short-term and long-term storage; It should be noted that the seed moisture content should be tested with a moisture meter before storage to confirm that the seed moisture content has dropped to the range of 7%-9%.

[0031] Short-term storage conditions are as follows: put the seeds into a polyethylene or aluminum foil sealed bag, remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and store it in a refrigerator at a temperature of 4℃-10℃. Long-term storage conditions are as follows: vacuum seal with an aluminum foil bag at a vacuum degree of ≥0.08MPa and store at a temperature of 0℃-5℃.

[0032] It should be noted that seeds stored for a long time should be sampled and tested for germination rate every 6-12 months. If the germination rate drops below 85%, the seeds are deemed unsuitable for continued field production, but can be preserved as germplasm resources for a short period.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be noted that the present invention can be provided as a method, apparatus, or computer program product. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media containing computer-usable program code.

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, terminal devices (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing terminal device to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing terminal device, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0035] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing terminal device to operate in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1The functions specified in one or more boxes. These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing terminal equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable terminal equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable terminal equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0036] It should also be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. The terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or terminal device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or terminal device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device that includes said element.

[0037] Finally, it should be noted that the above description represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that although preferred embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art, once they understand the basic inventive concept of the present invention, can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles described herein. These improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including both the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life, characterized in that, include: S1. Select commercial tomato seeds that are uniformly mature, plump, and undamaged, and maintain them with an appropriate moisture content. S2, the pretreated seeds are laid in a single layer in a tray and placed in a dry heat treatment device, and dry heat treatment is carried out in sequence according to the preset program; S3, seeds after dry heat treatment and untreated seeds were selected respectively for germination index comparison and determination to judge the effect of dry heat treatment on seeds; S4. Seal and store tomato seeds with qualified germination rates.

2. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 1, characterized in that, S1 selects commercial tomato seeds that are uniformly mature, plump, and undamaged, and maintains them at an appropriate moisture content, wherein: S101: Select 5KG of commercial tomato seeds, and remove seeds with abnormal color, damaged seed coat, deformity, and inconsistent maturity to ensure that the seeds are of uniform maturity, plump and undamaged. S102, the selected seeds are placed in a constant temperature and humidity drying oven for staged drying; S103 involves placing seeds with the target moisture content in a sealed container and letting them stand at 20℃-25℃ for 12-24 hours to ensure even distribution of moisture inside the seeds.

3. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The selected seeds are placed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled drying oven for staged drying, wherein: The staged drying process includes a slow drying stage and a fast drying stage; The slow drying stage is maintained at 25℃-30℃ and relative humidity of 20%-25% for 2-4 hours to dry the seeds; The rapid drying stage is then maintained at 30℃-35℃ and relative humidity of 15%-20% to rapidly dry to the target moisture content.

4. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the pretreated seeds are laid in a single layer in a tray and placed in a dry heat treatment device, where they are subjected to dry heat treatment sequentially according to a preset program, wherein: S201, the pretreated tomato seeds are evenly spread in a single layer with a thickness of 10mm in a tray with a length of 600mm × width of 400mm × height of 40mm; S202, multiple processing programs are preset and run in the control system of the dry heat treatment equipment. After the program is completed, heating is stopped and the seeds are taken out after they have cooled naturally to 40°C.

5. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The control system of the dry heat treatment equipment presets and runs multiple processing programs, among which: The multi-stage processing procedure includes preheating, step heating, high-temperature constant temperature sterilization, gradient cooling, and gradient rehumidification.

6. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, seeds treated with dry heat and untreated seeds were selected respectively for germination index comparison tests to determine the effect of dry heat treatment on the seeds. S301, 300 test seeds were randomly selected from each of the dry heat-treated seed batch and the untreated control seed batch as the treatment group and the control group, respectively. S302, calculate the germination potential, germination rate, germination index and seed water loss rate of the dry heat treatment group and the control group respectively; S303, compare the germination index of the dry heat treatment group with the control group to determine whether the dry heat treatment effect is qualified.

7. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The germination index of the dry heat treatment group was compared with that of the control group to determine whether the dry heat treatment effect was qualified. The specific criteria for judgment are as follows: the germination rate of the dry heat treatment group is ≥96%, the germination potential is ≥90%, the germination index is ≥10% higher than that of the control group, and the seed water loss rate is controlled within the range of 5%-15%.

8. The method for dry heat treatment of tomato seeds to enhance seed vigor and extend storage life as described in claim 1, characterized in that, S4 involves sealing and storing tomato seeds with qualified germination rates, wherein: The sealed storage selects different storage methods according to the storage duration, including short-term storage and long-term storage; The short-term storage conditions are as follows: put the seeds into a polyethylene or aluminum foil sealed bag, remove the excess air from the bag, seal it, and store it in a refrigerator at a temperature of 4℃-10℃. The long-term storage conditions are as follows: vacuum sealing with an aluminum foil bag to a vacuum degree of ≥0.08MPa, and refrigerating at a temperature of 0℃-5℃.

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