The major constraint in soybean seed production is the rapid loss of seed viability during storage. The seed quality in soybean is affected by harvesting stages, threshing methods, storage conditions and mechanical damage etc. The present experiment was carried out at Central Seed farm, Seed Technology Research Unit and Department of Agriculture Botany, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413-722, Dist. Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, during kharif of 2021 and 2022. The soybean seed was collected from kharif season of 2021 and 2022 from Central seed farm. The harvesting was carried out at physiological maturity (H1 -MC ≥15%) and at harvest maturity (H2- MC <15%) and threshing was done with the help of multi-crop thresher with 400 rpm (T1), combine harvester with 700-750 rpm (T2) and steak beating (T3). Among the different threshing methods, the seed threshed by steak beating (T3) followed by seed threshed by multicrop thresher (T1) and among the harvesting stages, the seed harvested at physiological maturity (H1- MC ≥15%) recorded the better initial seed quality with higher seed germination, while lower mechanical damage, seed mycoflora and electrical conductivity. The study indicates that good quality soybean seed can be obtained by harvesting at physiological maturity (H1- MC ≥ 15%) and threshing with steak beating (T3)

Seed moisture at harvesting, manual threshing, machine threshing, mechanical damage, soybean seed quality

The seed threshed by steak beating (T3) followed by multicrop thresher (T1) recorded the better seed quality with higher seed germination and lower mechanical damage, seed mycoflora and electrical conductivity. The seed harvested at physiological maturity (H1- MC ≥15%) recorded better seed quality with higher seed germination and lower mechanical damage, seed mycoflora and electrical conductivity than the seed harvested at harvest maturity (H2- MC <15%)

Raut G.P., Shelar V.R., Karjule A.P., Gagare K.C. and Parmar J.N. (2023). Impact of Seed Moisture Content at Harvesting and Threshing Methods on Seed Quality Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(12): 500-505.