This document discusses seed selection and testing for rice planting. It identifies important characteristics of high quality seeds such as purity, germination rate over 85%, and disease resistance. Sources of good seeds are provided, including organizations like PhilRice and seed growers. The document emphasizes performing germination tests to ensure at least 85% viability before planting and considering variety adaptability through local testing over multiple seasons.

1. SEED SELECTION

2. After studying the lesson, you must be able to
1.identify and select good seeds for
planting;
2.test the viability of seeds using
ragdoll method;
3.compute for the percentage
germination; and
4.appreciate the importance of testing
seeds before planting;

3. Using high quality seeds of a
recommended rice variety will result in a
considerable increase in the yield.
The characteristics of certified seeds are the
following:
1.pure
2.clean
3.with the same size and shape
4.85% or higher percentage of
germination free from seed borne
diseases

4. Sources of Good Seeds
1. PhilRice
2. Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)
3. Agricultural Productivity Commission (APC)
4. Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB)
5. Seed Grower – cooperators in your locality
6. Reliable dealers of farm supplies

5. How to avail good seeds
1. Buy seeds from accredited seed growers
stated above.
2. If there are no accredited seed growers
in the locality, then buy seeds from reliable
sources (i.e. farmers whose fields have
uniform crop growth) or produce your own
high quality seeds . However, make sure to
perform a seed germination test to ensure
quality. There should be at least 85%
germination.

6. 3. If the variety has not yet been
tested in the area, make initial selection
based on recommended environment
and cropping season. Then, conduct at
least two seasons of trial in the locality.
4. During wet season, consider the
prevalent pests in the area and the
shattering and lodging characteristics of
a variety. In the dry season, consider
planting hybrid varieties because these
varieties tend to perform better during
dry season.

7. 5. In rainfed areas, farmers tend to
use varieties for irrigated lowland
areas owing probably to lack of access
to rainfed varieties. It is recommended
to first choose varieties intended for
rainfed environment. Consider also
traditional or regionally preferred
varieties for rainfed environment
knowing that crops can develop
adaptability in an area.

8. 6. Farmers also often prefer new
varieties, believing that they yield
better. However, a variety may be
released based on reasons other than
yield (e.g. better grain quality and
resistance to pests). Thus, it is
important to know the characteristics
of the varieties but, more importantly,
to conduct adaptability trials.

9. 1.Early maturing and non-seasonal (100 – 130
days from seeding to maturity)
2.Resistant to pest, diseases, drought and
lodging
3.Nitrogen-responsive (this means that when
you apply nitrogen to the rice plant, the yield
increases)
4.High grain weight (6 – 7 mg)
5.High grain milling quality (whole )
6.High milling recovery (66% -70%)

10. There are other factors to consider in
the selection of good seeds aside
from the desirable characteristics,
and these are:
1. Genetic purity. The seed should not be mixed
with other rice variety.
2. Physical purity of composition. Seeds should
be free from inert matter, chaff, and weed seeds.
They must be clean.

11. 3. Moisture content. The ideal
moisture content of rice seeds for sowing
is 14%.
4. Capacity of the seed to germinate
or viability. The international standards
for viability require a minimum of 80%
germination.

12. The four general classifications of
agricultural seeds according to their
purity and quality are as follows:
1. Breeder seeds. This is the purest seed of
rice varieties obtained through selection,
introduction, and hybridization. Hybridization
means that a selected seed is planted and
during the reproductive stage , it is crossed
with another plant.

13. 2. Foundation seeds. This type of seed
is produced from breeder seeds in the
government seed farm where its varietal
purity is maintained.
3. Registered seeds. This seed is
produced from the foundation seed.
4. Certified seeds. This type of seed is
produced from the registered seed