Observations recorded on seed germination are presented in Table 1 and for other seedling traits in Tables 2 and Table 3 and ANOVA was performed (Table 4). The observations revealed the facts listed below. Seed germination: Calculated percentages of seed germination (Table 1) revealed that the fresh seeds (2000) varied from 86% to 100%. Higher reduction in seed germination was seen in the seeds stored for ten years (1991), the range being 66% to 100%. While the range of seed germination in eight-year-old seeds (1993) was 82% to 100%. In the ten-year-old seeds the low percentage of 66% was observed in monosomic line (2B) and the highest 100% was observed in monosomic 4D. The seed germination percentage in fresh seeds (2000) was above 90% in all the lines except monosomic 6D where it was only 86%. These low percentage of seed germination did not show any relationship with monosomic lines over the years. It is, therefore, evident that the trait seed germination was greatly influenced by the environmental conditions.
Root length: The mean values of fresh seeds (2000) of all the monosomic lines were 12.96 cm and variations being 9.55 cm (3A to 14.74 cm (2A). The F values for difference of root length amongst different years were found to be significant at 1% level (Table 4).
Root number: The mean values of 1991 seeds ranged from 3.46 (5A) to 5.06 (3D). The range of root number in 1993 seeds was 4.14 (5D) to 5.04 (2A). The mean values of 2000 seeds ranged from 4.33 (6B) to 6.06 (6D). The difference in root number of all the monosomics over the years were significant at 1% level (Table 4).
Coleoptile length: Mean values of coleoptile length indicated that in fresh seeds (2000) the range was 3.71 cm (3A) to 5.58 cm (1A), in 1993 seeds the range was 3.49 cm (2A) to 4.24 (7A) while 1991 seed showed 3.40 cm (3B) to 4.44 cm (7B). The mean values showed variation over the years and the differences were found to be significant at 1% level. (Table 4).
Shoot length: The mean values of shoot length ranged from 8.68 cm (3A) to 12.74 cm (1D) in 1991 seeds, 11.40 cm (6D) to 17.01cm (4D) in 1993 seeds and 15.98 (3A) and 21.98 cm (4A) in 2000 seeds. Statistical analysis showed significant difference in the mean shoot length over the years (Table 4).

The process of ageing in stored seeds largely depends on the chemical composition of the seeds (Kataki et al. 1997; Mayer and PoIjakoff-Mayber 1982), storage temperature, humidity and gaseous exchange (Roos and Manalo 1971). Ageing causes stress on seeds which leads to differential germination and loss in seedling vigor (Purkar et al. 1980). Genetic variation for seed ageing among the wheat genotypes has been demonstrated (Madan et al. 1989). Evaluation of wheat genotypes for seeds ageing under storage conditions would provide guidelines to ensure appropriate storage of germplasm of specific genotypes and commercial seed lot. Experiment conducted in the present study revealed significant differences in seed germination, root length, root number, coleoptile length, and seedling height over the years of ageing (Table 4). These observations corroborates with the earlier reports of Odimah (1986) and Madan et al. (1989). However, percentages of viability over the years are in the normal range. Slight reduction in viability percentage can be compensated by storing a larger number of seeds where available. Since fully viable and normal plants at maturity were obtained, it is inferred that seeds stored up to 11-12 years can still be used for cytological analysis. It will help the cytogeneticist to make use of the stored seeds for cytogenetical investigations for prolonged period without having to plant and identify monosomics every year.