4. Seed Quality Enhancement
Definition
Post harvest treatment that improve
germination or seedling growth or facilitate the
delivery of seeds and other materials required at
the time of sowing
(Taylor et al., 1998)
4
5. Role of improved seed
• It serves as a carrier of new technologies
• It serves a basic tools for secured food
supply crop yields
• It serves as mean of security in less
favorable production area
• It act as medium for rehabitation of
agriculture in case of natural disaster
( Feistritzer, 1975 )5
6. Where & when it is needed?
• Problematic seed
• High value of seed
• Specific planting technique
• Biotic stresses
• Direct seeding
• Adverse climatic conditions
6
7. History
•Recorded references in Vedas and Bible
Ex. Beejamruta,
• Coated and pelleted seeds traced in Egyptian
Pyramids
• China farmers use to coat paddy seeds with
mud balls while sowing in flooded fields
• Our ancestors use to practice it
– Application of ash, mud or cow dung slurry on seeds
7
9. Seed hydration technology / Seed hardening
It is process of soaking the seeds in water or dilute
solution of growth regulating compounds to induce early
germination, better root growth and seedling growth and also
enhances the yield potential of the crop variety.
TYPES OF HYDRATIONS
1.Pre-hydration: a). Seed fortification b). seed infusion
2.Priming: a). Osmo conditioning
b). Halo priming
c). Bio priming
c). Hydro priming
d). Solid Matrix Priming or matric conditioning
9
11. Seed fortification
It is pre hydration technique were seeds are
soaked either in water or dilute solution of bioactive chemicals
such as micro nutrients, growth regulators, vitamins and seed
protectants.
Seed infusion
It is a method of impregnation of seeds with bioactive
chemicals through organic solvents instead of water this technique
of infusion which helps to avoid the damage caused to the seed
due to soaking in water. hence this method is highly
suitable to the seeds that suffer from soaking or seed coat injury
(pulses).
(Halmer, 2006)
11
12. Disadvantage of Pre hydration
•Toxicity of chemicals
•Limited O2 supply to seed
•Disadvantage in handling large quantity of seed
Advantages of Pre hydration
•Faster water Imbibition
•Imbibition causes swelling of seeds
•Pre hydration promotes early germination and good crop stand.
12
14. It is a pre sowing treatment in which seeds are soaked in
osmotic solution that allows the seeds to imbibe water and go
through the first stages of germination but does not permit
radicle protrusion through the seed coat.
It is based on the principle of controlled Imbibition, to a level
that a permits pre germination metabolism to proceed, but
prevents actual emergence of radicle
SEED PRIMING
( Bradford, 1986 )
14
15. • Osmotic potential of solution
• Priming temperature and light
• Duration of priming
• O2 availability
• Drying method
Factors affecting seed priming
(Halmer, 2006) 15
16. Controlled water Imbibition
Imbibition injury prevented
Salt priming supply seeds with nitrogen and other nutrients for
protein synthesis
Advantages of priming
Disadvantages of priming
Toxicity of chemicals
Limited O2 supply to seed
Disadvantage in handling large quantity of seed
16
18. Seed Coating
Application of coating substance to the seed to enhance seed
placement and performance with out altering shape or placing chemicals
on the seed coat which regulate and improve germination.
( Copeland and Mc Donald 2001)18