Exercise No.

-01
Important terminology of seed production and seed testing

Objective: To obtain basic knowledge about basic terminology.

1. Border rows: The recommended number of rows of the male parental line grown on all the sides of the
seed field growing two different parents.
2. Breeder seed: It is the progeny of nucleus seed produced under supervision of concerned breeder or
breeding institute.
3. Certification: A system of maintaining the quality of seeds. The crops offered for certification are raised
as per requirements for seed certification established by a certification agency. Severalinspection are made
to ensure purity and quality of seed
4. Composite sample: Primary samples are pooled to form the composite sample.
5. Contaminants: The factors that affect the physical and genetic quality of seed such a off types, foreign
pollen, other crop plants, weed plants affected by designated diseases, weed seed, etc., are referred as
contaminants.
6. Defective seedling: A seedling that is damaged deformed or decayed to such an extent that normal
development is prevented.
7. Embryo: The part of the seed normally formed by fertilization of the egg cell by the sperm cell that
develops into the plant at germination.
8. Endosperm: The starch and oil containing tissue within many seeds that is outside the embryo and
provides nutrition to the developing embryo.
9. Fertilization: The fusion of male gamete (sperm) with a female gamete (egg) for the development of
zygote.
10. Fresh and ungerminated seed: Seeds, other than hard seeds where firm and viable but do not germinate
because of some physiological reason.
11. Genetic Purity: True-to-type, varietal purity, plants/seeds confirming to characteristics as described by
the breeder.
12. Germination: In a laboratory test, the emergence and development from the seed embryo of these
essential structures which for the kind of seed being tested, indicate the ability to develop into a normal
plant under favorable conditions in soil.
A. Epigeal germination: Cotyledons emerge above the soil by elongation of hypocotyls and generally
become green eg. Watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon etc.
B. Hypogeal germination: Cotyledons emerge below the soil eg. Groundnut.
13. Grow out test: Test performed to determine the genuineness of seed as to species or variety or freedom
from seed borne infection.
14. Genetic purity or varietal purity: trueness to its type. Plant/ seeds conforming to the characteristics of
the variety as described by the plant breeder.
15. Hard seed: Seed of Leguminaceae, Gossypium and Hibiscus that remains hard at the end of the
prescribed test period because it has not absorbed water due to an impermeable seed coat.
16. Hilum: The scar or mark on the testa at the point of attachment to the funiculus. It regulating the
interaction between embryo and external environment. It can serve as a gateway for pathogens to invade
the seeds.
17. Inert Matter: Seed like structures from crop and weed plants that are one half the original size or less,
badly injured and undeveloped seed like structures of seeds, glumes, stems and other plant parts, sand, dirt
and other related substances.
18. Inseparable other crop plants: Plants of cultivated crop plants found in the seed yield and whose seeds
are similar to the seed crops and difficult to separate them economically by mechanical means. For
example wheat and barley; ragi and mustard; oats and barley; cauliflowerand cabbage.
19. Integument: the outer envelope of an ovule, usually consisting of an inner and outer layer that comprises
the seed coat, or testa, of the mature ovule.
20. Isolation distance: Distance to be maintained between the seed crop away from the sources of physical
and genetic contamination.
21. Lot: Any quantity of seed up to a prescribed maximum that can be represented by the sample foranalysis.
22. Maintainer line: The fertile counterpart parent of the ‘A’ line. This is also known as the ‘B’ line.
23. Male Sterile Line: The parent that is male-sterile; in hybrid seed production it is the ‘A’ line.
24. Normal seedlings: Seedlings, which show the capacity for continued development in to normal plants and
have as well as desired, when grown in good quality soil under favourable conditions water supply,
temperature.
25. Objectionable weed: Weed whose seed is difficult to separate once mixed with crop seed, is difficult to
eradicate once established, has high multiplication ratio thus making its spread quick or which serves as
alternate host for crop diseases and pests.
26. Off type: Plant that does into confirm to the varietal characteristics as described by the breeder.
27. Other crop seed: Seed of plants that are not grown as crops.
28. Planting ratio: The recommended ratio in which the male and female parental lines are planted to make
crossing block in hybrid seed production.
29. Pollen shedder: Plant of the ‘B’ line in hybrids that is made fertile and present in ‘A’ line.
30. Previous crop: Crop grown in the season immediately preceding the one in which the seed crop is
grown.
31. Primary sample: A sample from seed lot is obtained at random from the different positions in aseed lot.
32. Raphe: A ridge that may be visible on the seed where the funiculus joins the ovule.
33. Restorer Line: An inbred line that, when crossed on a male-sterile strain, restores fertility to the latter and
causes the resulting hybrid to be made fertile and produce pollen.
34. Rouging: Removal of undesirable plants in seed production field to maintain genetic purity of seed.
35. Sample: A finite series of observations taken from a population.
36. Seed: A seed consists of the seed coat, embryo and endosperm.
37. Seed coat: Normally the inner and outer integuments that protect and cover the seed.
38. Scutellum: The highly modified cotyledon in some Graminae that absorbs nutrient from the endosperm
and thus provides nutrient to the embryo.
39. Seedling: A young plant developing from the embryo of a seed.
40. Seed Blending: Mixing of two seed lots having different germination. In order to upgrade and meet the
minimum standards for seed certification.
41. Seed health: Health of seed refers primally to the presence or absence of disease causing organisms such
as fungi, bacteria and viruses; and animal pests, such as eelworms and insects; physiological conditions
such as trace element deficiency may also be involved.
42. Seed Processing: It refers to all the steps necessary for preparation of harvested seeds for marketing viz.,
handling, drying, shelling, preconditioning, cleaning, size grading, treating and packing, etc.
43. Seed testing: Science evaluating the planting quality of the seed before it has been sown.
44. Seed treatment: It is the process of application of chemicals or protectants (with fungicides, insecticides,
bactericides or nematicides) to seeds that prevents the carriage of insects or disease causing pathogens.
Seed treatments also enable the seed to over come seedling infection by soil borne fungi.
45. Seed vigour: Seed vigour is the sum total of all seed attributes that favors rapid and uniform plant stand
establishment in the field or the strength of germination especially under unfavourable conditions. It
includes seed germination, seedling length and weight etc.
46. Seed viability: A viable seed is one, which is capable of germinating under the proper circumstances such
a viable seed may or may not readily or immediately be germinable.
47. Submitted sample: It is the reduced sample of composite sample. It is obtained by thorough mixing and
sub division.
48. Testa: The outer coat of a seed derived from the integuments that are the seed coat.
49. Volunteer plant: An unwanted plant same as that of the seed crop or any other crop, which comes from a
previous crop.
50. Working sample: It is reduced sample of submitted sample. This sample is taken in to laboratory from
submitted sample. From this sample seed quality tests were made.
 Exercise No.-02
Seed Sampling

Objective: To obtain sample of suitable size.

The constituents of which are in the same proportion as in the seed lot.

Sample: It is the process of obtaining a sample of required size for test in which the same
constituents are present as in the seed lot and is the same proportion. The sample is obtained
from the seed lot by taking small portion at random from different positions at the time of
processing in packing or seed lot or from the sealed bags in the lot and combining them.

Seed lot: A lot is a specific quality of seed, physically identifiable, in respect of which the
analysis report may be issued.

Primary sample: A primary sample is a small portion taken from a lot at a particular
stage, with the object of forming a composite sample.

Composite sample: A composite sample is formed by combining and mixing all the
primary samples taken from a lot and a part of this sample is sent to laboratory for test.

Submitted sample: A composite sample is usually larger in quality than what is required
for testing and so needs to be reduced it in quantity as per requirement. A composite
sample, when so reduced in quantity for being sent to the testing station, is called a
submitted sample.

Working sample: The working sample is a part taken from the submitted sample in the
laboratory, to be subjected to quality tests as described in the ISTA rules.

Sampling procedures
Insert the trier diagonally/vertically/horizontally into the bag or container. The trier
is thrust into bag in closed position, the opened and turned a couple of times or gently
agitated to allow it to fill completely. Therefore, it is closed again, with drawers and
empties into a suitable pan. If the primary samples appear uniform they shall be combined
and mixed to form the composite sample. The composite sample shall further be reduced
to appropriate size by following dividing principles it may be regarded as the submitted
sample.

If it is difficult to mix and reduce the sample properly under warehouse conditions,
the entire composite sample shall be sent to the seed testing laboratory for reduction. If the
composite sample is of suitable size it may be considered as the submitted sample without
reduction. Each submitted sample shall has marked in a way that establishes the
connection between lot and sample. Samples shall be packed so as to prevent damage
during transit, and not be packed in moisture proof containers. If determination of
moisture content is required, the sample must be packed separately in moisture proof
containers, from which as much air as possible has been enclosed. Then sample shall be
dispatched to the seed testing laboratory without delay.

Sampling intensity: It refers to the number of primary samples to be taken from the seed
lot. While, drawing the sample consider 100 kg bag = 1 unit. In case of 5 kg bag 20 kg =
100 kg = 1 unit.
a) Seed in containers:
Up to 5 containers: Sample each container but never less than five primary
samples.
6 to 30 containers: Sample at least one in each three containers but never less than
five primary samples.
More than 30 containers: Sample at least one in every five containers but never less than
10 primary samples.

b) Seed in bulk or lot size:

Less than 50 kg : At least three primary samples.
50 to 500 kg : At least five primary samples.
Above 500 up to 3,000 kg : One primary sample for each 300 kg but not less than
5 primary samples.
Above 3000 up to 20,000 kg : One primary sample for each 500 kg but not less than 10
primary samples.