SHORT COMMUNICATION Seed Quality and Storage of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as Influenced by Basal and Foliar Application of Nitrogen Shyamashree Roy 1 • Omvati Verma 2 Received: 29 December 2015 / Revised: 2 February 2016 / Accepted: 20 June 2018 / Published online: 24 September 2018 Ó The National Academy of Sciences, India 2018 Abstract A field experiment was conducted at N.E. Bor- laug Crop Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar (Ut- tarakhand) to study the seed quality and storability of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as influenced by soil and foliar application of nitrogen. Among seed quality parameters protein, wet gluten and sedimentation value showed signif- icant increase due to increase in nitrogen rates whereas, starch and hectolitre weight had a decreasing trend. Also foliar urea spray significantly influenced these seed quality parameters. Seedling length and seedling vigour index dif- fered significantly with basal application of nitrogen at the time of initial storage and after 2 months of storage. Keywords Wheat Á Seed quality Á Storage Á Nitrogen application Seed quality is a complex phenomenon influenced by genetic, agronomic and environmental factors. Good seeds are highly responsive to fertilizers. An adequate quantity of seed and timely application of fertilizer helps in crop establishment and improved seed quality. Quality seed accounts 10–20% of yield increase [1]. Among all the nutrients, nitrogen is very important because it is the building substance of important molecules like, protein and chlorophyll. The protein composition of wheat is important in determining bread making quality and gluten content plays a key role in baking quality [2]. Soil applied nitrogen may not be effective to meet the requirement of developing seeds because of slow availability. Large amount of nitrogen applied before flowering initiation and seed development, therefore foliar nutrient application may be an effective method for improving seed quality during its development. There is direct and independent uptake of nutrient with a very low consumption of energy. Foliar application of macronutrients has positive effect on plant metabolism and yield increase [3]. The experiment was conducted during the ‘rabi’ season of 2007–2008 in at N.E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Tech- nology, Pantnagar. Seed quality and storage studies were made from May 2008 to October 2008. The variety UP-2565 was sown in Factorial Randomized Block Design in three replications. The experiment had three levels of nitrogen (90, 120 and 150 kg N/ha) and four levels of foliar spray of urea (control, 3% urea spray at anthesis, 7 days after anthesis* and 14 days after anthesis). After harvesting the data on seed protein, starch, wet gluten and sedimentation value were recorded by using the instrument Infratec-124 Grain Ana- lyzer with 200 g of seed sample. Hectolitre weight was taken by hectolitre weight apparatus. Germination (%) and seedling vigour index were recorded after harvesting. Germination test was conducted according to standard procedure for germination following International Rules for Seed Testing [4]. Seedling vigor index was computed by multiplying germination per cent with seedling length (cm/seedling) following Abdul Baki and Anderson [5]. Protein % and sedimentation value (c.c) increase with an increase in rates of nitrogen whereas starch and hectolitre & Shyamashree Roy shree.agr@gmail.com 1 Regional Research Station, Old Alluvial Zone, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Majhian, Patiram, Dakshin Dinajpur 733133, India 2 Department of Agronomy, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand 263145, India 123 Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett. (November–December 2018) 41(6):337–340 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-018-0688-0