It provide information about the Importance of seed quality enhancement fortification

1. IMPORTANCE OF SEED
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
FORTIFICATION

2. SEED FORTIFICATION
 Seed fortification is impregnation of required substance for
invigourating the seeds for improved production, where the
seeds are soaked either in water or dilute solution of bio
active chemicals such as micro nutrients, growth regulators,
vitamins and seed protectants. This method is highly suitable
to seeds that suffer with soaking or seed coat injury.
Simultaneously it also provides protective, regulatory and
selective functions of the chemicals to improve the
performance of seed with help of organic solvents.

3.  One of the earliest reports describing the usage of seed
fortification is by Theophrastus (372 – 287 BC) who
recommended soaking of cucumber seeds in milk or water to
make them germinate quicker. This process of enriching the
seeds with bioactive chemicals for improving germination,
crop growth as well as yield is called seed fortification.

4. Methodology
 In this method, seeds are soaked in solutions of equal volume for
duration of 6 – 24 hrs depending upon the crop to raise the moisture
content of the seed to 20 – 25% just enough for endogenous
impregnation of chemicals through exogenous application. The choice of
chemicals, its concentration and duration of soaking vary with species
and decide the success of the treatment.
 Main aim is to supply nutrients to seeds and to achieve high vigour to
overcome unfavourable soil reactions (eg.) seed fortification with MnSO4
@ 0.5 to 1.0% will improve oxidation – reduction potential of seeds,
which ultimately leads to higher germination.

5. Chemicals used for fortification
The macro and micro nutrients are essential for
physiological activation of seed.
Nutrients Function
Nitrogen Constituents of amino acid, nucleotides and also act as coenzymes
Phosphorus Constituents of phospholipids, nucleotides and also sugar phosphate
Potassium Required by all higher plants for activation of enzymatic process
Sulphur Constituents of amino acid like cystine, methionine, cystanine.
Magnesium Constituents of chlorophyll. It interferes with food reserve material of the plant. It is an activator of enzymes and their
metabolism. MgSO4 and MgCl2 are the widely used Mg forms
Iron Integral part of protein and constituent of phytochromes and thereby it involves in photosynthesis and respiratory
action of the system. It is also a constituent of enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase and dehydrogenase enzymes
Zinc Constituent of dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase and lactic dehydrogenase. Zinc is very much required for
production.

6. Steps in seed fortification

7. Principle
 During fortification process, a number of physicochemical changes occur and
modify the protoplasmic characters and increasing the physiological activity of
embryo and associated structures.

8. 

9. Advantages of seed fortification
 The low and medium quality seeds can be upgraded.
 The method promises not only accelerated germination and
vigorous seedling growth but also early flowering and higher
yield.
 Seed fortification can serve as a low cost technology
compared to soil and foliar application which involves more
chemical, labour, wastage as well as cost.
 The beneficial effects of chemicals, may depend on species,
concentration and duration of sowing. Hence the rough
standardization determines the utility of the treatment.

10. 