The document discusses seed treatment and enhancement techniques. It describes how seed treatment involves applying fungicides and insecticides to seeds to disinfect and protect them from pathogens and pests. Seed enhancement techniques aim to improve germination, vigor and performance, and include methods like priming, coating, pelleting and integrated approaches. These techniques provide benefits such as early emergence, uniform stands, stress tolerance and nutrient/microbe delivery. The history, types, advantages and applications of various seed treatment and enhancement methods are reviewed.

1. K R C COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE,ARABHAVI
Seed Treatment
Basavaraj Panjagal
Ph.D Research Scholar
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2. Seed treatment refers to the application of fungicide , insecticide
or both to the seeds to disinfect (deep seated ) and disinfest
( over seed coat ) them from seed borne or soil borne pathogenic
organisms and storage insects.
Benefits of seed treatment
1.Prevention of spread of plant diseases
2.Protects seed from seed rot and seedling blights
3. Provides protection from storage insects and pests.
4. Improves germination
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3. Dates back to 17th century when salt water wasaccidently
discovered to control bunt and stinking smut of wheat seed.
In 1755, M.D Tillet, a french botonist recommented the use of
lime as a chemical treatment for wheat seed
Some 50 years later ,Prevost a Swiss botanist ,discovered the
use of copper fungicides as seed treatment.
New concepts of treating seeds with Organomercurials like
Ceresan and Semesan were introduced in 1920.
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4. Types of Seed treatments
1.Physical treatment:
a) Hot water treatment
b) Hot air
c) scarification
d) anaerobic
e) solar treatment
2.Chemical seed treatments:
3. Biological seed treatments: Bio agents, plant extracts, red earth..
Methods of seed treatments
1. Manual methods
2. Mechanical method of seed treatment
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5. Seed enhancements
1. Physical techniques
a) Seed coating
b) Seed encrusting
c) Seed pelleting
2. Physiological techniques
a) Seed fortification
b) Seed infusion
c) Seed priming
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6. Seed Quality Enhancement
Definition
Post harvest treatment that improve
germination or seedling growth or facilitate the
delivery of seeds and other materials required at
the time of sowing
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7. Role of improved seed
•
•
•
•
It serves as a carrier of new technologies
It serves a basic tools for secured food
supply crop yields
It serves as mean of security in less
favorable production area
It act as medium for rehabitation of
agriculture in case of natural disaster
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8. Where & when it is needed?
• Problematic seed
• High value of seed
• Specific planting technique
• Biotic stresses
• Direct seeding
• Adverse climatic conditions
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9. History
• Recorded references in Vedas and Bible
Ex. Beejamruta,
• Coated and pelleted seeds traced in Egyptian
pyramids
• China farmers use to coat paddy seeds with
mud balls while sowing in flooded fields
• Our ancestors use to practice it
– Application of ash, mud or cow dung slurry on
seeds
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10. Seed Quality Enhancement
Techniques
1. Seed hydration technology (pre
hydration, priming)
2. Seed coating (pelleting, film coating)
3. Integrated seed enhancement
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11. Seed hydration technology / Seed hardening
1.Pre-hydration [ a). Seed fortification b). seed infusion
2.Priming [a). Osmo conditioning b). Halo priming c). Bio priming
c). Hydro priming d). Solid Matrix Priming or matriconditioning
It is process of soaking the seeds in water or dilute
solution of growth regulating compounds to induce early
germination, better root growth and seedling growth and
also enhances the yield potential of the crop variety.
TYPES OF HYDRATIONS
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13. PHYSIOILOGY INVOLVED IN HYDRATION
GERMINATION POST-GERMINATION
UPTAKE
OF
WATER
TIME
(Bewley, 1997) 13
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14. Seed fortification
It is pre hydration technique were seeds are soaked either in
water or dilute solution of bioactive chemicals such as micro
nutrients, growth regulators, vitamins and seed protectants.
Seed infusion
It is a method of impregnation of seeds with bioactive
chemicals through organic solvents instead of water this
technique of infusion which helps to avoid the damage
caused to the seed due to soaking in water. hence this
method is highly suitable to the seeds that suffer from
soaking or seed coat injury.
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15. Advantages of Pre hydration
 Faster water Imbibition
 Imbibition causes swelling of seeds
 Pre hydration promotes early germination and good
crop stand.
Disadvantages of Pre-hydration
Toxicity of chemicals
Limited O2 supply to seed
Disadvantage in handling large quantity of seed
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16. Seed Priming
 It is a presowing treatment in which seeds are
soaked in osmotic solution that allows the seeds
to imbibe water and go through the first stages
of germination but does not permit radicle
protrusion through the seed coat
 It is based on the principle of controlled
Imbibition, to a level that a permits pre
germination metabolism to proceed, but prevents
actual emergence of radicle
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17. Hydro priming (drum priming)
It is achieved by continuous or successive addition of
limited amount of water to the seeds is the cheap and
useful technique that is practiced by incubating seeds for a
limited time in warm water.
Halo priming-
the use of salts of chlorides,
Halo priming involves
sulphates, nitrates etc.
Osmopriming (Osmoconditioning)
It is the standard priming technique. Seeds are incubated in
well aerated solutions with a low water potential, and later
washed and dried.
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18. Matric priming (Solid matrix conditioning)
It is the incubation of seeds in a solid, insoluble matrix with
a limited amount of water. This method confers a slow
imbibition.
matric carriers are- (Calcinatedclay, Vermiculite ,Peat Moss ,Sand, Micro-Cel )
Bio-priming (Seed conditioning)
It is a process of biological seed treatment that refers to
combination of seed hydration (physiological aspect of
disease control) and inoculation (biological aspect of disease
control) of seed with beneficial organism to protect seed
with the help of beneficial fungi and bacteria.
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19. Physiological basis of seed priming.
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20. • Osmotic potential of solution.
• Priming temperature and light
• Duration of priming
• O2 availability
• Drying method
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21. Advantages of Priming
Controlled water Imbibition
Imbibition injury prevented
Salt priming supply seeds with nitrogen and
other nutrients for protein synthesis
Disadvantages of Priming
Toxicity of chemicals
Limited O2 supply to seed
Disadvantage in handling large quantity of seed
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22. Application of coating substance to the seed to enhance
seed placement and performance without altering shape
or placing chemicals on the seed coat which regulate and
improve germination.
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24. SEED COATINGS
Seed coating is the application of useful
materials to the seed without changing its
general size or shape.
 Seed coating has been utilised to ameliorate environmental
stresses such as drought and flooding
Seed coating with peroxide compounds provide oxygen to seeds
under anoxic soil conditions
Hydrophilic polymers maintain a high water potential around
germinating seeds
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25. FILM COATINGS
It is a sophisticated process of applying precise amount of
active ingredients in form of thin film along with the
liquid material directly on to the seed surface without
obscuring its shape.
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26. Advantages of seed coating
 Enables accurate and even dose of chemicals and reduces
chemical wastage
 Improve the appearance and dust free handling
 To apply fungicides, insecticides, micronutrients directly to
seed.
 Allow easy flow of seed in automatic seeding
 Act as a temperature switch and water intake regulator
Disadvantages of coating
Coated seeds fetch high cost, than the bare seeds
Improper coating and improper dilution of coating
material may deteriote the whole seed lot
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27. Seed Pelleting
It is the process of enclosing a seed with a small quantity
of inert material just large enough to facilitate precision planting
Or
It is the mechanism of applying needed materials is such
a way that they affect the seed or soil at the seed soil
interference.
Why inert material?
It creates natural water holding media and provide small
amount of nutrients to younger seedlings.
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28. Seed Pelleting Process
adhesive seed
Coating of seed with adhesive
Filler material
Filler material sprinkled on
coated seeds
Pelleted seeds
Shade drying
sowining
(Halmer,2006)28
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29. Pelleting material
Clay
limestone
Calcium carbonate
Vermiculate
Tamarind leaf powder
GumArabic
Gelatin
Methyl cellulose
polyvinyl alcohol
Maida / starch gruel
ADHESIVE
FILLER MATERIALS
Along with Inoculants, Growth
regulators & Fungicides etc.
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30. Types of Seed Pelleting
Type Material Used
Innoculant
Pelleting
Protective
Coating
BiofertilizerViz., Rhizobia, PSB, Azospirillum,
Azatobactor, VAM
Biocontrol agent like Rhizobacteria bataticola,
Bacillus sp. Streptomycis sp., pesticides, fungicides.
Filler antidote or absorbent coating, Herbicide
antidote like 1.8 napthalic anhydride (NA)
Coating with micro and macronutrients eg.ZnSo4,
FeSo4, Borax
Starch graft polymers, magnesium carbonate
Herbicide
Coating
Nutrient
Coating
Hydrophillic
Coating
Oxygen
Supplier
Coating
Peroxides of zinc and calcium
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31. Advantages of pelleting
 Increase in size and shape
 Singling of seeds to prevent clogging
 Precision placement
 Moisture absorption
 Supply of nutrients
 Protection from birds/animals
Disadvantages of pelleting
Pelleted seeds fetch high cost & weights more, than
the bare seeds.
Empty pellet/ multi seed pellet if proper machine are
not used.
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32. Integrated Seed Enhancement
Techniques Effects Reference
Priming +
Pregermination
Pill, 1986
Seed coating +
Pelleting
nutrients & microbes
Halmer, 1988
Early emergence, increased
shoot weight
Improve plantability of flat
seeds,
addition of bioactive
chemicals,
Complements individual
effects
Additive effect
Priming + Pelleting
Osmoticum/solid
matrix carrier +
GR/nutrients/
pesticides
PEG + GA3
Improved germination &
prevented induction of
secondary dormancy
Valdes et al. 1985;
Bennett, 1988
Khan 1992;
Osborn & Schroth
1989; Salvage &
Cox 1992
Khan 1992
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33. Recent approaches:
o Ultrasonic seed priming and mode of action
o Electromagnetic seed therapies
o Laser irradiations
o Seed polymers and nano particles
o Poly electrolytes
o Endophytes
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34. Advantages of Seed Quality Enhancement Technology




Reduced seed rate
Early emergence and reduced time of emergence under
stress conditions
Supply of growth regulators/nutrients/beneficial microbes
Better nursery management
 weeds in competition for


Helps seedling to dominate
nutrition
Field stand and uniformity
Minimum exposure to toxicant
 conventionally transplanted vegetable

Direct seeding of
seeds.
High turnover
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35. Conclusion
Seed enhancements have a wide range of commercial applications
from improved crop stands through better germination rates and
seedling vigour effective in crop stress management, and improved
crop yields together with efficient use of resources such as fertilizers,
water and seeds. Sustainable crop production requires the adoption of
low-cost and environment friendly seed enhancement techniques.
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