100% germination: a Myth Or Reality?

2. 100% Seed germination: a Myth or Reality?
Dr.P.SELVARAJU
Director
Seed Centre,TNAU,
Coimbatore
E-mail:kpselva@yahoo.com

3. Seed is one of the most important
and least expensive input factors
Influencing crop yield
One of the farmer's most critical
management decisions is the
selection of seed source and
promising variety
High quality seed would increase
approximately production
Introduction

4. Reduced yield Weaker seedlings

5. Relevance
• Main aim is to ↑ germination
• Min. germination standard is 90% (maize) or
as lower as 15% (Dharaf grass)
No 100%????

6. FOR 100% Germination
100% viable
seeds
Opt. Field
condition
for
germination

7. To get 100%
viable seeds
Follow
agronomic
practices
Eliminate
dead seeds

8. Nutrition
Irrigationi. Agronomic practices
 Selection of suitable agro-climatic
region
 Selection of seed plot
 Land preparation
 Seed treatment
 Time of sowing or planting
Spacing or density Method of sowing
Depth of sowing
Weed control
Disease and pest control
To get 100% viable seeds…….
Plant establishment

9. Time of Harvest

10. ii. To eliminate non-viable seeds
Egg floatation- paddy

11. Contd...
Spiral seed separator-
rape and Soybean
seeds from wheat
Disc Separator-corn,
soybean
Indented cylinder Separator
Gravity Separator
Magnetic seed Separator
Electronic colour sorter-
paddy

12. Contd..
Needle separator- cottonVacuum seed Separator

13. To eliminate dead seeds
Live seed separation (0.5%CaCl2)- groundnut

14. Problems
in Field
Alkalinity
Drought
Salinity
Diseases
Pest
Infestation
Flooding

15. For 100% Germination in Field
Designer seed
Seed hardening
Pseudomonas,
Azospirillum/
Phosphobacteria

16. If 100% germination is
ensured…….
Uniform growth Flowering & Maturity
Higher yield
and profit