SEED PRODUCTION

Variety development
1) Breeder seed is directly controlled by the originating
plant breeder, sponsoring institution or firm which
supplies the initial source and recurring increases of
foundation seed. There are no certification standards
for breeder seed.
2) Foundation seed is produced from breeder's seed or
foundation seed produced under the control of the
originator or sponsoring institution or licensee.
Foundation seed is controlled by the originating plant
owner or licensee.
3) Registered seed is produced from foundation or
other approved seed stocks. This class of seed shall be
of a quality suitable for the production of certified
seed. This seed is usually, but not always, one
generation from foundation seed.
4) Certified seed is produced from foundation,
registered, certified, or other approved seed stocks.
This seed is two generations from foundation seed.
Certified seed can not be used to produce certified
seed again without the approval of the state
certification agency, which can approve production only
under extreme conditions.
Factors Influencing Seed Production
 1− Site / Land Selection
• The soil in the seed production field should be
fertile with adequate irrigation and good
drainage facilities.
• The field should be devoid of high weed
incidence and free from volunteer plants.
• The field should not be cultivated with the
same crop variety in the previous season.
 2− Selection of Species and Seed Source
• While selecting the seed variety, care should be taken to
select the varieties preferred by the farmers in a particular
area.
• Healthy and uniform sized seeds from a reliable source
should be selected.
• Seeds should be selected based on the type of seed
production (i.e.) breeder seeds are required for the
production of foundation seeds; foundation seeds are
required for the production of certified seeds.
• Selected seeds should be genetically pure with high
germination percentage and vigour.
 3− Field Preparation
• Soil condition in the selected field should be suitable for
the crop.
• The field should be ploughed thoroughly without any
lumps.
• Green manure crops can be raised in the field in order
to enhance the nutrient content of the soil.
• Organic manures like farm yard manure, compost and
vermicompost can be used to enhance the soil fertility.
• Field should be irrigated well within three days of
sowing to avoid hardness of the soil.
 4− Seed Selection
• Salt solution can be used to remove the chaffy seeds from good
seeds. Take some water in a vessel and drop an egg in it. Keep
adding salt to it slowly until the egg reaches the surface of the
water. When the seeds are dropped in this water, the good
quality seeds will sink into the water. Remove the unviable
seeds that float on the surface of the water. Wash the selected
seeds in good water for 2 - 3 times to remove the salt deposits.
If this is not done, the germination capacity of the seeds will be
affected.
• By this method, the unviable seeds can be removed completely.
This method should be followed when there is more of chaff.
 5− Seed testing
• The selected seeds should be tested for its
viability, i.e. seed germination. Seed
production and multiplication is possible only
when the germination capacity is high. If the
germination rate is high ultimately the seed
multiplication can also be higher.
 6− Seed germination
• Germination capacity of a seed lot refers to the capacity
of the seeds in that lot to germinate normally and
produce all parts of a healthy seedling and grow. The
necessary parts of the seedling include well developed
primary roots, young pair of leaves and one or two
cotyledons. % of germination = Number of normal
seedlings Total number of seeds germinated x 100
• A germination rate of 70-80% is an indication of high
seed viability. Germination can also be affected by seed
dormancy.
 7− Seed Vigour
• Seeds with good vigour will produce good quality seedlings that will
grow and give good yields.
• Seed vigour is the sum total of all the seed attributes that favours rapid
and uniform standard establishment in the field under varying field
conditions.
• In general, seeds with good germination capacity and uniformity in size
will have good vigour. It varies from species to species.
• Weak seeds will have poor germination and die under the field
conditions; if they survive they would not yield healthy seedlings.
• Hence, it is necessary to test the germination of the seeds before
sowing in the main field. A countable number of seeds can be sown in
small pots filled with moistened soil and placed in a sunny area. After a
few days, number of normal seedlings in each pot should be counted.
 8− Seed Dormancy
• Seed dormancy is the temporary suspension of growth of viable
seeds accompanied by reduced internal metabolic activity.
• It is the resting stage of the seed and it delays germination of
the seed.
• Unfavourable climatic conditions like temperature, variation
and lack of water leads to seed dormancy. Dormancy may occur
due to the presence of a hard seed coat, immature embryo
• and also due to the presence of germination inhibitors in the
seeds. It may also be due to the exposure of seeds to excess
heat, light or darkness and also due to the presence of chemical
toxins in the seeds.
• Dormancy of the seeds can be broken by any of the following
methods
i. Scarification – Removal of the hard seed coat by rubbing the seeds
with sand paper. Eg. Pulses
ii. Hot water treatment – Soak the seeds in hot water at 45-50°C. Eg.
Tree crops.
iii. Leaching – Soak the seeds in water for overnight to remove the
germination inhibiting chemicals present in the seeds. Eg. Coriander
iv. Stratification – Subject the seeds to very low temperature of 0-5°C
to break the embryo dormancy. Eg. Cole crops.
v. Light treatment – Some seeds do not germinate in dark and periodic
exposure to light is essential to break the dormancy. Eg. Lettuce.
 9- Sowing Season
• The best sowing season depends upon the
suitable temperature, rain, wind speed and
photoperiod. For quality seed production
there should not be heavy rains during the
flowering stage of the seed crop and the
maturity of the seed should coincide with the
summer season. Seeds harvested during dry
season are always better in quality.
 10- Planting Density
• Density of the plant in the field directly
influences the quality of the seeds. More
densely populated planting leads to the
incidence of diseases, whereas less populated
planting acquires more weed infestation with
uneven ripening. Hence it is necessary to
maintain the optimum plant density
pertaining to each crop variety.
 11- Weed Management
• Land selected for seed production should be
maintained free from weeds. Weed seeds will
remain dormant for a long period and grow
faster than the main crop and produce seeds,
which will reduce the purity of the seed crop.
Removal of weeds at all stages in the seed
production field is essential for maintaining
the purity of the seeds.
12- Pest and Disease Management
• Insects will spread disease causing microbes
and particularly affect the seeds. Special care
and attention should be given at every stage
of the seed production in order to keep the
field free from the pest and diseases.
 13- Intercultural Technologies
• The soil in between and around the crop
should be tilted slightly for good aeration and
better water holding capacity. Soil should be
heaped or mounted near the root region of
the plant. This will enhance the water and
nutrient absorption capacity of the plant and
also help the plant to stand upright. The fruits
or grains in the plant will be free from soil
borne pathogens.