Quality evaluation technology and grading standard for seeds of Cynomorium songaricum / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To establish the system of the quality evaluation technology for the seeds of Cynomorium songaricum and to draw up the quality grading standard for the seeds of C. songaricum. Methods: A stereomicroscope, electronic balance, and the method of in vitro embryo culture were used to measure the morphology, grain, and embryo rate and viability for the seeds of C. songaricum. The method of mathematical statistics were adopted to analyze the main index and reference index of dividing grades of seed; The method of standard deviation was applied in developing the seed quality grading standard. Results: Seeds were 1.03-1.63 mm long and 0.69-1.23 mm wide, kernel was about 0.61-1.05 mm long and 0.50-0.50 mm wide. There was a significant correlation among seed morphological indexes (P 0.05) and there was no correlation among the thousand-grain weight, viability, and embryo rate (P > 0.05), while there was a significant correlation between the viability and embryo rate (P < 0.01); the viability was the main index in the quality grading for the seeds of C. songaricum; while the clarity, grain, and water were the reference indicators of quality grading of the seeds. Conclusion: The seed quality of each grade should reach the following requirements. For the first grade seeds seed viability is not less than 98%, purity is not less than 93%, housand-grain weight is not less than 0.8 g, water content is not higher than 8.0%; for the second grade seeds, the seed viability is not less than 95%-98%, the purity is not less than 86%, the thousand-grain weight is not less than 0.7 g, water content is not higher than 8.0%; for the third grade seeds, seed viability is not less than 90%-95%, purity is not less than 80%, thousand-grain weight is not less than 0.5 g, water content is not higher than 8.0%; seeds that do not reach the standard of the third level are unqualified ones.