Kuwait Journal of Science, cilt.50, sa.3, ss.353-358, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of desiccation in its vicinity. The most common desiccant is silica and other common desiccants include activated charcoal, bentonite, calcium sulphate, calcium chloride and zeolites. Our experiment's aim was to see different drying methods (KNO3 (% 90,79 ± 0,83 RH), NaCl (%74,87 ± 0,12 RH), CaCl (≅%45 RH)) and after-ripening period affect on seed quality in five aubergine maturity stages as determined by days after anthesis (DAA) (55-60-70-80-90 DAA) in two subsequent years of 2018–2019. The results demonstrate that the harvest days and drying treatments of aubergine seeds are considered on the basis of statistically obtained output parameters; total germination, mean germination-emergence time, seedling fresh and dry weight values were found to be significant at the 1% level (p < 0.01). Given the field conditions under which we conducted our research, 70–80 days after anthesis in the first year and 90 days in the second year after anthesis in the Kemer27 cultivar were found to be suitable for seed harvesting. Besides that aubergine seeds (90 day harvest) second drying+after ripening and second drying treatments gave the highest CAT level, second drying + after ripening and control groups gave the highest APX activity and control group gave the highest SOD activity. In general, drying treatment is advantageous in aubergine species and according to the harvest periods in all species, frist drying + after ripening groups came to the fore. All enzyme results in aubergine were statistically significant according to the harvest day∗after ripening∗drying interaction.