Seed technology involves methods to improve the genetic and physical characteristics of seeds. This includes activities like variety development, seed production, processing, storage, and certification. Quality seeds have characteristics like genetic purity, physical purity, and high germination percentage. Sowing methods include broadcasting, drilling, and dibbling. Factors that affect sowing include depth, soil conditions, and competition. Common crop geometries are random, square, and rectangular arrangements.

1. Seed and Grain
Seed is a fertilized ripened ovule
consisting of three main parts; seed
coat/s, stored food materials (endosperm
and/or cotyledon) and embryo, which
under favorable conditions has an ability
to grow into a new plant/seedling.
Vs Grain: Difference in terms of the
embryonic viability or ability and favored
as food rather than growing into new
plants
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2. Seed Technology
• Cowan (1973) identified seed technology as “that discipline of study having to do
with seed production, maintenance, quality and preservation”.
• Feistritzer (1975) defined seed technology as the methods through which the
genetic and physical characteristics of seeds could be improved. It involves such
activities as variety development, evaluation and release, seed production,
processing, storage and certification.
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5. Characteristics of quality seeds
• Quality seed are the seeds that possess all the characteristics required by a good quality
seed.
Characteristics
1. Genetic Purity
True to its type (for uniform stand and varietal integrity with no varietal admixture)
Matured enough (For proper and quicker germination and stand)
2. Physical Purity
Clean and Free from admixtures (W/O Weed seeds and other crop seeds)
Free from mechanical damage, seed borne pathogens and pest infection
Uniform size and weight
3. Physiological Purity
Optimum moisture (8-12%)
High germination percentage as per seed standards and Seed Vigor
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6. Importance of quality seed
• Basic and Cheapest input that has significant increase in crop productivity (Approx. 25%
increase) thus increase income
• Ensure varietal purity of a crop
• Permits uniform growth and maturity of the crop thus permitting timely intercultural
practices
• Carrier of new technology for its better response to added inputs
• Foundation for a quicker and better plant population
• Better tolerance against abiotic and biotic stress
• Medium for rapid agricultural rehabilitation after natural and social disaster
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8. Seed Sowing
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10. Sowing Vs Planting Vs Transplanting
• Sowing is the placing of specified quantity of seeds in the soil in the optimum
position for better germination and growth.
• Most of seed crops except the ones favored for transplanting is grown by
sowing/direct sowing.
• When seedlings are raised in separate nursery beds and later planted in the main
field at appropriate age of the seedling the term “Transplanting” is used.
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11. Types of Direct Sowing
1. Broadcasting
• Spreading over prepared land
• Seed may or may not be covered with the soil
• Done by hand, mechanical spreader or aeroplane
• Most primitive method
Advantages Disadvantages
Easy, Quick and Cheap method Uneven depth and distribution of plants
Effective in wet field condition Proper crop geometry is not possible
Effective in plants where plant population
matters more than crop geometry
Intercultural operations are difficult
Higher seed requirement
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13. 2. Drilling
• Practice of dropping seeds in furrows or lines
• Furrows of predetermined dimensions first made
• Seeds dropped at definite depth and distance
• Seeds covered with soil and compacted for better seed soil contact
• Hand sown generally behind a plough (Kera method) of drilling
• Seed sowing using seeding funnel (Pora, a tube with a funnel at the top) on a plough
• Seed drill or seed-cum-ferti drill are used
• Drilling of soil amendments and fertilizers can be done simultaneously
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14. Advantages
• Uniform plant population per unit area
• Uniform depth of sowing resulting uniform emergence and better stand
• Intercultural operations are economic and effective
• Seed requirement is considerably reduced
• Mulching is easy
Disadvantages
• Requires more time, labor, energy and cost
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16. 3. Dibbling
• Method of putting a seed or seeds in a furrow, hole or pit made at a predetermined spacing
and depth with a dibbler or planter or hands
• Laborious, time consuming and expensive
• But less seed requirement, rapid and uniform germination with good seedling vigor
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17. Factors involved in sowing management
1. Mechanical Factors
a. Depth of sowing
b. Emergence habit
c. Seedbed texture
d. Seed-soil contact
e. Seedbed fertility
f. Soil Moisture
2. Biological Factors
a. Companion Crop
b. Competition for light
c. Soil microorganisms
d. Seed size and weight
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18. Crop Geometry
1. Random crop geometry
2. Square crop geometry
3. Rectangular crop geometry
a. Solid Row
b. Paired Row
c. Triangular (Hexagonal)
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