Species Festuca arundinacea has been studied from many points of view. The research on this species has been performed by Romanian scientists, as well as many foreign ones. Nevertheless, the studies regarding seeds and their quality are rare.The paper aims to analyse the influence of moisture on the quality of Festuca arundinacea (Palma variety) seeds during storage. The parameters used were: moisture content (%); Pure seeds (%, weight); Inert matter (% weight); Other crop seeds(% weight); Total Germination Normal seedlings(% number); Abnormal seedlings(% number); Dead seeds (% number). The biological material we used was made up of Festuca arundinacea (Palma variety) seeds obtained in specific Banat conditions. The seed samples were taken from three granaries, found in three different towns: Jimbolia, Ciacova and Gherteniş (Caraş-Severin County). Two seed quality analyses were performed during storage: the first took place six weeks after harvest and the second was performed 30 days after the first determinations.  Following the first determination (December 2009), the moisture of Festuca arundinacea (Palma variety) seeds was 13% in the granary at Ciacova germination ranged from 76% (granary at Jimbolia) and 77% (in the granary at Ciacova). In the storehouse at Gherheniş, the moisture of Festuca arundinacea (Palma variety) seeds was 14%, and germination was 76%.  One month after the first determination, we made a second analysis (January 2012) of the seeds and we noticed that moisture had increased by one percent in the granaries at Ciacova and Jimbolia, which led to a decrease in seed germination, in the number of normal seedlings and an increase in the number of dead seeds in both granaries. In the Gherheniş granary, the second determination found the same moisture values for Festuca arundinacea seeds, i.e. 14%. However, seed germination went down. Low germination of Festuca arundinacea (Palma variety) seeds is caused primarily by unsuitable storage conditions that led to an increase in the moisture index. In its turn, moisture influences the variation of the parameters under study. The seed moisture content controls the variation of the parameters to a greater or a smaller extent. Lower Moisture Content is direct correlated with the percentage of Total Germination.

seed moisture, germination, purity, storage, cluster analysis, Diversity Profile Families , Festuca arundinacea.

Presentation: oral