Effect of Storage Duration and Package Materials on Viability and Grain Chemical Composition of Two Bread Wheat Cultivars

This investigation was carried out at Plant Production Department Laboratories, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba- Basha), Alexandria University, Egypt to study the impact of storage period and package material on growth and some chemical contents of Giza 168 and Sids 12 grain wheat cultivars using split-split plot design. The studied traits, except infestation percent, were significantly decreased with increasing storage period till six months. The lowest germination (65.41%), shortest roots and shoots (5.45 and 3.39 cm), lightest shoot weight (0.030 g) and highest infestation percent (25.25%) resulted from stored grains for six months (at November). Stored grains till November, also showed the lowest 100-grain weight (2.33 g), protein, ash and moisture content (6.81, 1.03 and 8.82%), respectively. Giza 168 cultivar significantly surpassed Sids 12 in all the studied traits except root length. Sealed Sids 12 grains in black polyethylene bags decreased germination percent, shoot dry weight, 100- grain weight, protein and ash grain content, however it showed the highest insect infestation percent. Sids 12 bread wheat cultivar, generally, was more affected with increasing storage period than Giza 168 cultivar.