Seed Quality Enhancement Dormancy breaking treatments SEED HARDENING FLUID DRILLING DRY PERMEATION PREGERMINATION Pelleting SEED FILM COATING Seed Priming

1. SEED QUALITY ENHANCEMENT
K. VANANGAMUDI
vanangamudi.tnau@gmail.com
09894904745

2. WHY?
 Time from sowing to seedling establishment is
crucial
 Exposed to wide range of environmental stresses
 Harmful micro-organisms
 Destruction by seed, soil and air borne pathogens
 Damage by insects
 Cold, frost, temperature and moisture effects
 Monsoon failure, severe drought
 Problem soils, competition from weeds and toxic
effects of chemicals present in soil

3. Dormancy breaking treatments
Soaking in water
Hot water soaking
Leaching of inhibitors
Wetting and thawing
Alternate wetting and drying
Mechanical scarification
Acid scarification
Bioscarification
Scorching/Burning
Warm stratification
Cold stratification
Electrical treatment
Treatment with growth
stimulants
Treatment with growth
retardtants
Types
What is SQE?
Application of
physical,
physiological,
biological &
chemical agents to
seed in order to
enhance physical,
physiological,
genetical,
biochemical and
health qualities

4.  Germination augmenting
treatments
 Seed fortification
 Seed infusion
 Pre-germination
 Osmopriming
 Osmoconditioning
 Seed invigouration
 Solid matrix priming
 Seed conditioning
 Fluid drilling
 Dry permeation
 Seed hardening
 Seed priming
 Pre-hydration
 Irradiation
 Magnetic treatment
 Electrical treatment
 Biofertilizer treatment
 Treatment with
bioinoculants
 Mid – term storage
treatment
 Hydration – dehydration
treatment

5. Seed coating treatments
 Seed pelleting
 Seed coating
 Seed colouring
 Seed film technology
Protective seed treatment
 Seed dressing with insecticide (Both dry
and slurry treatments)
 Seed dressing with fungicide (Both dry and
slurry treatment)
 Botanical seed treatment
 Biocontrol agents

6. SEED HARDENING

7. What is it?
Process of hydrating the seed to initiate
the pre-germinative metabolism followed
by dehydration which fixes the
biochemical events.
Why it is done?
To impart resistance against stress
conditions viz., drought and cold to the
emerging seedlings.

8. Dry seed
Imbibition
Permits initial process of germination (An advancement in
germination processes)
Dehydration
Prevent cell and radicle emergence
Shade and sun drying to bring back to its original water content or
weight
Stops the germination process
Hardened seed

9. Sowing of Hardened seed
Remember the germination process
where it had stopped
Rapid germination and quick establishment
of seedling (survival) with available soil
moisture
Increased growth and productivity

10. Crops Chemicals &
concentration
Methodology
Bajra 2% Potassium
chloride
Dissolve 20g of salt in
1000 ml of water. Soak
1kg of seed in 650ml of
this solution for 10h &
dry back to original
moisture.
Sorghum 2%Potassium
dihydrogen
phosphate
Cotton 2% Potassium
chloride

11. Crops Chemicals &
concentration
Methodology
Sunflower 2% Potassium
chloride
Dissolve 20g of salt in
1000ml of water. Soak 1kg of
seed in 650ml of solution for
12h and dry back to original
moisture.
Black gram
Green gram
100ppm Zinc
sulphate
100ppm
manganese
sulphate
Dissolve 100mg of salt in
100ml of water. Soak 1kg of
seeds in 350ml for 3h & dry
back to original weight.
Before soaking, precondition
seeds for 1h by keeping in
between two moist gunny
bags

12. FLUID DRILLING

13. What is it?
Pregerminate in water or an osmoticum.
Add to a fluid drilling matrix such as laponite
in water or agrigel in water
Slurry the seeds in a fluid drilling matrix
Deliver to the growing area

14. Encapsulation with gel-Method 1
Sodium alginate concentration 1 to
10% W (g)/V (ml) in water
Seed 1 to 50 seeds/ml
Complexing agents 1 to 1000 ml
molar(CaCl2,FeCl2,CaNO3,CuSO4)
Fluid drilled
seed(seed+gel+complexing agent)
Species Source
Stage of
development
Add
Singulated or dispersed

15. Time of gel formation
Temperature of the gelling solution
(Gel+Complexing agent)
Interrelated

16. Method 2
Seed
Complexing agent (CaCl2-0.6 to 2.0 for 2-
10min.)
Additves (Pesticide 0.002 to 0.300ml;
Fertilizer 0.1 to 1000mg;
Microorganisms 1 to 10 nos.; Carbon
source 1 ton 500mg per ml of gel)
Complexing agent-treated seed
Gel (Sodium alginate 0.6 to 10% W (g)/V
(ml))

17. DRY PERMEATION

18. Various chemicals were applied to seeds thro
organic solvents (ACETONE, DCM,PEG).
Chemicals reach embryo thro seed coat.
Amount of chemicals penetrating in to seeds
depends on the ability of applied chemical, seed
type, permeation time and concentration
Chemicals reaching embryo should be
biologically effective.
What is dry permeation?

19. PREGERMINATION

20. PREGERMINATION: GROUNDNUT
1. Soak 1kg seeds in 650 ml of 0.5% CaCl2 for 6h
2. After 6h, spread seeds over moist gunny bag and
covered with another moist gunny bag for 20-24h
3. After 24h, remove sprouted seeds with radicle
(just visible expression of radicle)
4. For every 2h interval, separate germinated seeds
for 2-3 times
5. Dry seeds in shade.
6. Separate viable and dead seeds
7. Sow the pregerminated seeds immediately

22. What Pelleting is ?
 It is the process of
packaging effective
quantities of foreign
materials
 To increase a standard
size, shape and weight of
the seed
 Precision sowing /
Mechanical
sowing

23. Size
Shape
Weight

24. Filler
material
Seed
Stamping
of seed
with
adhesive
Coating of filler material
by sprinkling on stamped
seeds
Adhesive
Shade
drying
Pelleted
seeds
Sowing
Rolling of seeds for
uniformity
Ingredients
Method of seed pelleting

25. Types Ingredients
Inoculant
pelleting
Biofertilizers:Rhizobium,Phosphobacter,
Azospirillum, Azatobactor,VAM,Azophos
Protective
pelleting
Biocontrol agents:Pseudomonas,
Trichodermma, Rhizobacteria, Bacillus,
Streptomyces,insecticides, fungicides
Herbicide
pelleting
Filler antitode or absorbent coating.
Herbicide antitode like 1,8 napthalic
anhydride (NA)
Types of seed pelleting

26. Types Ingredients
Nutrient pelleting Coating with micro and
macronutrients
Hydrophilic coating
(Water stress
condition)
Starch graft polymers,
magnesium carbonate
Oxygen supplier
coating (Flooded
condition)
Peroxides of zinc and
calcium
Organic pelleting Leaf powders ( arappu,
pungam, acacias) & rhizome
powders ( turmeric, Acorus)
Cont…

27. Advances in seed pelleting

28. SEED FILM COATING

29. WHY USE COLOURANTS ON SEED?
 Identifying treated seed - prevent accidental
consumption
 Differentiating seed from competitor – marketing
Strategy
 Unlimited options to uniquely branding technology.
 Identifying unique seed technologies - segregate
technologies.
Eg.Herbicide treated seeds or Variety differentiation (A /
B line)
 Seed Enhancement - Improving plantability, stand
establishment, seed flow in seed planters etc.

30.  Uniform distribution of the pesticides on the seeds.
 Prevents dusting off chemicals by strong binding
 Reduces pollution of pesticides at the processing plant
and also at farm level
 Freeze sensitive seed coatings - useful for fall planting
in cold climates
 User friendly and environmentally safer technology

31. Commercial Formulations
Polymer + Colouring pigments +
binder + a.i
Seed film coating
Value added seed
STEPS IN FLIM COATING

32. VALUE ADDED SEED

33. POLYKOTE ON MAIZE cv CO 1
•Pink polykote @ 3g / kg of seed (Little’s Balm
Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Chennai)
•Improved the germination and seedling vigour
•Storage Potential
 Pink polykote @ 3g/kg of seed + Thiram 2g
+ Imidacloprid 1ml
 Maintained higher germination potential
and vigour over a period of 4 monthsstorage

38. Polykote on maize germination: Petriplate method
Uncoated
Dry dressing Slurry treatment

39. Uncoated
Dry dressing
Slurry treatment
Early and rapid germination

40. Uncoated
Slurry treatment
Polykote on maize germination: Inclined plate method
Early germination & high
seedling vigour

42. Seed Priming

43. What is seed priming?
 Controlled hydration of seeds
 To a level that permits pre-germinative
metabolic activity to proceed
 Prevents actual emergence of the radicle.
 All biochemical reactions are FIXED
 Increases the speed and uniformity of
germination (Heydecker et al., 1973)

44. How it is done?
o Seeds are soaked in various inorganic salts,
sugars and polyethylene glycol (PEG) a
chemically inert, high molecular weight
compounds
o Temperature suggested is between 10oC –
15oC.
o Duration varies with the crop from 1 day
(sorghum) to 23 days (onion).
o Seeds are then rinsed and redried to original
water content.

45. Methods of Priming
Hydropriming
Henkel (1964)
Osmopriming
(Heydecker, 1973)
Matric priming
Taylor et al. (1988)
Halopriming
Haigh and
Barlow (1987)
Drumpriming
Henkel (1964)
Biopriming
Henkel (1964)

46. Physiological events during Germination
Seed imbibition
Phase I and II represent process of germination
and foundation for successful priming
Phase I
Rapid initial water uptake
Repair of DNA and mitochondria
Phase II
Lag phase: No water uptake
Synthesis of mitochondria and proteins
Phase III
Rapid intake of water
Resumption of radicle growth

47. Seedgermination

48. 2 The aleurone responds
by synthesizing and
secreting
digestive enzymes that
hydrolyze stored nutrients
in
the endosperm. One
example
is -amylase, which
hydrolyzes
starch.
Aleurone
Endosperm
Water
Scutellum
(cotyledon)
GA
GA
-amylase
Radicle
Sugar
1 After a seed
imbibes water, the
embryo releases
gibberellin (GA)
as a signal to the
aleurone, the thin
outer layer of the
endosperm.
3 Sugars and other
nutrients absorbed
from the endosperm
by the scutellum
(cotyledon) are
consumed during
growth of the embryo
into a seedling.

50.  Cell-signal processing
CELL
WALL
CYTOPLASM
1 Reception 2 Transduction 3 Response
Receptor
Relay molecules
Activation
of cellular
responses
Hormone or
environmental
stimulus
PLASMA MEMBRANE

51. 1 Reception 2 Transduction 3 Response
CYTOPLASM
PLASMA
MEMBRANE
Phytochrome
activated
by light
Cell
wall
Light
cGMP
Second messenger
produced
Specific
protein
kinase 1
activated
Transcription
factor 1 NUCLEUS
P
P
Transcription
Translation
De-etiolation
(greening)
response
proteins
Ca2+
Ca2+ channel
opened
Specific
protein
kinase 2
activated
Transcription
factor 2
 An example of signal transduction in plants
1 The light signal is
detected by the
phytochrome receptor,
which then activates
at least two signal
transduction pathways.
2 One pathway uses cGMP as a
second messenger that activates
a specific protein kinase.The other
pathway involves an increase in
cytoplasmic Ca2+ that activates
another specific protein kinase.
3 Both pathways
lead to expression
of genes for proteins
that function in the
de-etiolation
(greening) response.

52. Expansin
CELL WALL
Cell wall
enzymes
Cross-linking
cell wall
polysaccharides
Microfibril
H+ H+
H+
H+
H+
H+
H+
H+
H+
ATP
PLASMA MEMBRANE
Plasma
membrane
Cell
wall
Nucleus
Vacuole
Cytoplasm
H2O
CYTOPLASM
 Cell elongation in response to auxin
1 Auxin
increases the
activity of
proton pumps.
4 The enzymatic cleaving
of the cross-linking
polysaccharides allows
the microfibrils to slide.
The extensibility of the
cell wall is increased. Turgor
causes the cell to expand.
2 The cell wall
becomes more
acidic.
5 With the cellulose
loosened,
the cell can elongate.
3 Wedge-shaped expansins, activated
by low pH, separate cellulose microfibrils from
cross-linking polysaccharides. The exposed cross-linking
polysaccharides are now more accessible to cell wall enzymes.

53. Cell cycle
1. G1 - Cell grows and
becomes larger.
2. S - DNA-synthesis takes
place. DNA replicates and a
copy of each chromosome is
formed.
3. G2 - Prepares for cell
division.
4. M - Chromosomes separate
and cell divides into two
daughter cells.
After division, cells back
to G1
Cell cycle: Series of
events that take place in
a cell leading to its
division & duplication.

54. Hydropriming on germination in maize hybrid and its parents
 10h hydropriming increased speed of germination,
germination and vigour index (Ananthi, 2008)

55. Halopriming on germination of hybrid maize and its parents
Best halopriming for UMI 61 was KNO3 3%, while
for UMI 285 and COH (M) 5 was KH2PO4 1% for
10h

56. Crop Seed priming technique Germin. improvement (%)
Initial Storage (6 mon)
Tomato Hydropriming (48 h) 24 25
Brinjal Sand matric 80% (3 days) 63 65
Chillies Sand matric 80% (3 days) 52 66
Onion Sand matric 80% (24 h) 22 29 (4th month)
Carrot Hydropriming (36 h) 11 -
Beet root Hydropriming (12 h) 15 26
Bhendi Sand matric 80% (3 h) 27 16
Radish Hydropriming (12 h) 47 62
Mustard Hydropriming (12 h) 33 53
Iimprovement in germination immediately and 6 months of priming

57. Controversies in storability
YES NO
Argerich and Bradford (1989)
Tarquis and Bradford (1992)
Bruggink et al.(1999)
Savino et al.(1979),
Dearman et al., (1986)
Georghiou et al., (1987) .
Yougging et al. (1996)
endoduplication of nuclear
DNA
Mc Donald (1999) – reversal
of seed deterioration
Saracco et al. (1995) DNA
replication. Ie, G2 (after DNA
synthesis) were more sensitive
Osborne ( 1983) repair of
DNA damage
Siveritepe and Dourado (1994)
- decreased chromosomal
aberrations.
Siveritepe and Dourado (1994)
Membrane repaired

58. Effect of seed priming on seedling vigour
60%Sand 3 h

59. Seedling vigour in Beetroot due to priming treatment

60. Biopriming

61. Biopriming in maize
Trichoderma viride – 80% 6h
Speed of germination (Day 4)
Control 80% 6h

62. Pseudomonas fluorescens – 80% 12h
Speed of germination (Day 4)
Control 80%12h

63. Azospirillum 20% 12h
Speed of germination (Day 4)
Control 20% 12h

64. Phosphobacteria 20% 12h
Speed of germination (Day 4)
Control 20% 12h

65. Vigour index
Control 20% 12h

66. MOLECULAR STUDIES (0h)

67. MOLECULAR (12, 24, 36 & 48h)

68. ANATOMICAL STUDIES
Control P.f 80% 12h

69. 30 DAS
A - Nonprimed
B - Hydropriming 12h
C - T.viride 80% 6h
D - P.fluorescens 80%
12h
E - Azospirillum20%
12h
F - Phosphobacteria
20% 12h

70. STRESS STUDY
LOW temperature stress
Control P.f 80% 12h @ 100C

71. NaCl salt stress
Control
P.f 80% 12h
0.25% NaCl
1% NaCl
A - Nonprimed
B - Hydropriming 12h
C - T.viride 80% 6h
D - P.fluorescens 80% 12h
E - Azospirillum20% 12h
F - Phosphobacteria 20% 12h

72. Water holding capacity
A - Nonprimed
B - Hydropriming 12h
C - T.viride 80% 6h
D - P.fluorescens 80% 12h
E - Azospirillum20% 12h
F - Phosphobacteria 20%
12h

73. STORAGE STUDIES
Vigour index
Control
P.f 80% 12h

74. Seed health
Control P.f 80% 12h