Abstract

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is consumed by over 200 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). CSIR-Crops Research Institute in 2016 officially released the first four commercial varieties. This research was undertaken to determine the interactive effect of moisture content and storage condition on the seed quality of common bean seeds stored in the humid region of Ghana. The moisture content (MC) was 8 and 11%, and the storage conditions were ambient and cold. Treatments were arranged in 2 × 2 factorial in completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Seeds were taken after 2, 4, 6 and 8 months storage period for ash content (%), EC (μS cm^-1), K and P leachates (ppm), moisture and protein contents (%) analyses. Seed dried to 8% MC and stored under ambient condition showed significantly (p < 0.001) higher ash content of 5.98% compared to 4.72% at 2 and 8 months, respectively. Seeds stored under ambient showed the lowest K leachates of 1244.6, 1706.4 and 2382.7 ppm at 2, 4 and 6 months after storage, respectively. Seeds stored under ambient condition significantly (p < 0.001) lowered P leachate at all storage periods. After 6 months of storage, seeds dried to 11% MC and stored under ambient showed 27.84% protein content significantly higher (p < 0.001) than 26.89% in seeds dried to 11% MC and stored under ambient. Common bean seeds can be dried to 11% MC and stored under ambient condition in the humid region of Ghana. This will be economical to seed growers compared to seeds dried to 8% MC and stored under cold condition.

Key words: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), moisture content, ambient, cold, seeds, condition.