Preface   India is known as the ‘Home of Spices’ in the world over. Potential for export and trade of seed spices are growing globally. India avails the opportunity of being largest producer, consumer and exporter of seed spices. Spices constitute an important group of agricultural commodities, which have been considered indispensible in the culinary art for flavoring foods. Some are also used in pharmaceutical, perfumery, cosmetics and several other industries. In India, about 52 and 31% of total seed spice production comes from the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, respectively. Among the seed spices, coriander, cumin, fenugreek and fennel are the major seed spices, whereas, ajawain, dill and few other have been categories as the minor seed spices. Looking to quite a significant role in our national economy, it is imperative to assess the seed quality with respect to field and laboratory standards as per Seed Act and ISTA rules. It is considered to be a boon in increasing the quality production and productivity of seed spices in the country. Keeping this view point in mind, an endeavor has been attempted to bring all these necessary information in the form of book entitled “Seed Testing Techniques for Seed Spices” which will fulfill the long awaited need of researchers, students and progressive farmers. Authors express sincere thanks of gratitude to Prof. Anil Kumar Singh, Vice Chancellor, RVSKVV, Gwalior and Prof. Vijay Singh Tomar, Vice Chancellor, JNKVV, Jabalpur for their encouragement and supports. We also wish to express thanks to Dr. S.S. Tomar, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. H.S. Yadava, Director Research Services and Dr. S.K. Srivastava, Director Extension Services, RVSKVV, Gwalior for their cooperation and help during the preparation of the manuscript. Thanks are also due to those scientists whose published works have been referred.

India is famous as the ‘Land of Spices’ world over. Spices are nature’s gift to humankind for flavoring our food. They are also used as preservative and in pharmaceuticals. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of seed spices and their value added products. About 63 different spice crops are cultivated in the country. Among them, seed spices are annual herbs, whose dried seeds or fruits are used as spices. These crops share 21.87% in terms of quantity and 7.42 % in terms of value to total spices export in the country. The country grows a wide variety of seed spices like coriander, cumin, fenugreek and fennel as major crop, while, dill, nigella, ajwain, anise, celery, caraway, parsley, black cumin and few other are categories as the minor seed spices.

Notified Varieties of Different Seed Spices

Seed The seed, in botany is a mature ovule, consisting of an embryo together with a store of food all surrounded by a protective coat and bear ability to develop a new plant on optimum conditions of soil, moisture and light. It usually develops after the fertilization on an egg cell by male generative cell from a pollen grain. Seeds of some species develop without the intervention of the male cell, formed entirely of ‘mother’ tissue. Such seeds are called apogamic seeds. In seed technology, the seed is seed or any vegetatively propagated material produced from seed crop in accordance to Indian seed standards and has potential to develop new crop in presence of soil, moisture and light.

Seed Sampling The size and quantity of seed sample required for seed quality testing remains small as compared to the seed lot hence, representative samples are randomly drawn for this purpose. The process of obtaining a uniform and representative sample from a seed lot for seed quality testing is called seed sampling. The samples are prepared in accordance to ISTA rules to ensure that small size sample should represent truly and in the same proportion all constituents of seed lot.

1. Isolation distance

Physical purity test determines the proportion of pure seed, other crop seed, weed seed, inert matter, moisture and germination components in the seed lot by weight in percentage in accordance to prescribed Seed Standards. It thus, helps in improving the plant stand, raising a pure crop by eliminating other crop seeds, weed seeds and disease free-seeds. Seed must not be sold until the percentage of pure seed, other crop seed, weed seed, and inert matter are in accordance to seed physical purity standards. Physical purity test is required for seed certification or seed law enforcement and it is a pre-requisite for ger- mination test.

Seed Germination Test Germination is the process of emergence and development of seed embryo into a plant under favourable environmental conditions of water, soil, sunlight and temperature. The best example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm plant. It reflects the ability of seed to produce a normal plant under favourable environmental conditions. The germination rate of a particular seed lot is a key indicator of its performance in the field.

Seed Viability Test Germination test for a seed lot is a pre-requisite to know its potential of emergence under field condition. However, this test requires few days to weeks and a month in some cases. Tetrazolium test gives quick information on seed viability or germinability. It makes possible to distinguish red coloured living parts of seeds from the colourless dead ones. Staining of seeds determines  viability.  Completely  stained  seeds  are  viable  while,  partially and comparatively unstained seeds are non-viable. This test is not valid as compared to seed germination test.

The seed moisture content is the amount of water present in the seed. It is generally expressed in percentage of dry and wet seed weight. It is the loss in weight of the original sample when it is dried. High moisture content in seed sample favors the mechanical damage, seed longevity, incidence of disease and insect pests. Objective i. To know the moisture content of seeds by suitable methods ii. To suggest the seed drying.

Seed storage is the preservation of viable seeds from the time of collection to the required for sowing. It is important to get adequate plant stands in addition to healthy and vigourous plants. Objectives i. To maintain initial seed quality during storage period by providing suitable conditions. ii. To maintain the seed germination and emergence rates. iii. To prevent the seed deterioration during storage period. iv. To maintain the physical and physiological seed qualities.

Mini seed testing lab analytical register