eChapters

Objectives

1. To know about the seed treatment of spices and condiments.
2. To know the sowing method and time of spices and condiments.

Seed treatments or seed dressing: Seed treatment refers to the application of fungicide, insecticide, or a combination of both, to seeds so as to disinfect and disinfect them from seed-borne or soil-borne pathogenic organisms and storage insects. It also refers to the subjecting of seeds to solar energy exposure, immersion in conditioned water, etc. The seed treatment is done to achieve the following benefits.

Advantages of seed treatment

1. Protects germinating seeds and seedlings against soil and seed borne pathogens/insects.
2. Seed germination enhancement.
3. Early and uniform establishment and growth
4. Enhances nodulation in legume crop.
5. Better than soil and foliar application.
6. Uniform crop stand, even in adverse conditions (less/high moisture)

Seed is the basic input of agriculture, and its importance has now well recognized in the food supply chain since the warranty for production could be succeeded only based on the availability of seed. Seed becomes the quality seed, on possession of specific characters, viz. germination, vigour, purity and health status, hence, seed production becomes the specified scientific technology with the foreseeing of quality and storability in addition to productivity. From time immemorial, seeds are being imposed with some management techniques for improvement in seed quality and thereby the productivity. These seed management techniques are known as seed treatments. Generally, seed treatment is the application of biological, chemical agents and physical techniques to the seed in order to obtain the benefit of plant protection, production and invigouration. Basically, seed treatments are intended to improve the quality of seeds since nothing can substitute poor quality seed, no matter how lavishly other inputs are spent on the crop established from such seeds. Even for a resource poor farmer, high quality seed would be a great advantage because it ensures the best utility of all inputs in addition to the augmentation of yield increase by 15 to 20%.

In general, seed treatment could broadly be classified into physical and physiological treatment. Physical treatment is external seed treatment, while physiological is impregnation of needy substances into the seed through various seed management techniques. Some of the germination augmenting physiological seed treatments are seed fortification, seed hardening, seed priming, dry permeation and pre-germination. In addition, some of the seeds are imposed with special treatments such as dormancy breaking treatment such as soaking in water, mechanical scarification, acid scarification, bio-scarification, scorching, warm stratification, cold stratification and electrical seed treatment. The common physical seed treatments are seed pelleting, seed coating/film coating and seed colouring. Seeds are also imposed with some other physical treatments that can act on the physiology of the seed such as irradiation, magnetic and electrical seed treatment. In addition, irrespective of seed, seeds are given with protective treatment when they are taken for storage, which are commonly termed as pesticide seed treatment. Seeds are also given with corrective treatment at their initiation reduction with seed quality characters during storage, which are termed as mid storage correction.

Definition

Seed treatment is the process by which seeds are treated with physical, chemical or biological agents to prevent the infection of seedlings and the subsequent development of the crops.

Advantages of Seed Treatments

Increased seed germination.

Ensures uniform seedling emergence.

Protect seeds or seedling from early season diseases and insect pests improving crop emergence and its growth.

Lower seedling mortality.

Improved plant population and thus higher productivity.

Reduces the cost and the potential environmental impact.

Also reduces the probability of chemical residues in harvested grain.

Relatively easy and cheap to apply compared to broadcast sprays.

1. SEED TREATMENT

It refers to the application of pesticides (fungicides, insecticides or a combination of both) to seeds before sowing and/or storage in order to protect the seeds and young seedlings from soil borne pathogens and/or storage pathogens and insects. Seeds are thoroughly mixed with required quantities of chemicals namely bavistin (carbendezim) @ 2-4 g/kg of seeds.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ refers to the application of pesticides to seeds before sowing or storage to protect the seeds.
2. The chemical gases as fumes are used to control the pests in seed lots is called as _____.
3. The treatments given to the seeds prior to or during storage to protect the seed are called _____ treatment.

Seed treatment is one of the important activities of the shop floor. The seed should be treated with various insecticides, fungicides and additives to protect it up to establishment. Some timesenhance quality parameters like vigour which is critical for better establishment. Since vegetable seeds are of very high value and low volume, investment on seed treatment will yield better not only for the seed seller but to the grower also. More number of plants in a field brings moreincome per unit area. Hence the farmer or grower who buys seed is ready to bear the cost of seed treatment making it an important aspect of seed processing.

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. It also refers treating seed for enhancing quality by subjecting the seed to solar energy exposure or immersion in hot water or dry heat treatment or priming also.

Seed viability tests

Only two methods, the Topographical tetrazolium (TZ) test and the embryo excision test were previously accepted by the International Seed Testing Association as official methods for some species of seeds. ISTA has recently accepted the X-ray method as a valid alternative to the cutting test for the detection of empty and insect-damaged seeds. The following tests can be applied depending on the circumstances.

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.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the measure of how many seeds are alive and could develop into plants which will reproduce themselves.
2. _____ method is useful for determining viability of forest tree seeds.

Introduction

Seed vigour is an important quality parameter, which needs to be assessed to supplement germination and viability tests to gain insight into the performance of a seed lot in the field or in storage. Several definitions have been offered to explain seed vigour. Isley (1957) defined vigour as “the sum total of all seed attributes, which favour stand establishment under unfavourable field conditions”. While, AOSA (2005) defined seed vigour as the sum total of all those properties in seed, which upon planting, result in rapid and uniform production of healthy seedlings under a wide range of environments, including both favourable and stress conditions and ISTA (1985) stated that seed vigour is the sum total of those properties of the seed, which determine the potential level of performance and activity of a non-dormant seed or seed lot during germination and seedling emergence.

1. DEFINITION

Sum of those properties of seed, which determine the potential level of activity and performance of the seed or seed lot during germination and seedling emergence. i.e., rapid and uniform production of healthy seedling and stand establishment under a wide range of field conditions is considered as seed vigour.

In a vigour test, the seed is introduced to a stressful environment unfavorable to seedling development. This environment can be cool, cold or warm, or a combination of either high humidity and high temperatures, or heavy moisture at low temperatures. A vigor test cannot replace a germination test, but rather supplements it with more information about seed quality.

I. FILL UPS

1. Rapid and uniform production of healthy seedling and stand establishment under a wide range of field condition is considered as _____.
2. The sum of those properties of seed which determine the potential level of activity and performance of the seed lot is called _____.
3. Vigour index = _____.

5.1. Seed village

Compact area approach in which the whole village is involved in seed production.

Concept is a win-win model (Deepak Mullick)

I. FILL UPS

1. Seed village is also known as _____.
2. ITC with Zeneca stands for _____.
3. ITC Zeneca has recently changed name to _____.
4. CENSAR stands for _____.
5. _____ is a compact area approach in which the whole village involved in seed production.
6. The concept of seed village is a _____.
7. Seed village concept was started in_____.
8. _____ has guided the experiment in wheat.
9. _____ is a milestone in green revolution.
10. CAPART stands for _____.

1. DEFINITION

Seed village definition is to see that the aim right from the start is to make a holistic transformation in the village. Seed village concept is a “Win-Win model”, says Deepak Mullick, one of India’s foremost professionals in agribusiness. It is also known as “Compact area approach”. Seed village area should be suitable for crop or varieties. Seed in compact area, whole village should be involved. The whole farmers in the village cultivate same crop, same variety and follow same cultivation practices.

INTRODUCTION

High crop productivity depends on quality of seed as without good quality seed even if we apply manure, Plant protection measure and other cultural practices it is not possible to produce good quality seed. So the basic seed used for sowing must be healthy and good in quality. It is different from commercial production as it need proper care, good quality basic seed, timely cultural operations, thinning, roguing, timely application of pesticides and fertilizers and maintenance of seed quality through inspections. 
Seed production requires technical skill to achieve all the above advantages for which the best approaches Compact Area Approach or Seed Village Concept.
It is selection of compact area by organizing the seed farmers in the selected area. The selected area must be fertile and suitable for reproduction of good quality seed such areas can be organized for self and cross pollinated crops (Groundnut, Paddy, Pulses, Sorghum) especially for the varietal seed production. But the variety should be one another for whole of the selected area.

Advantages of Seed Village Concepts

1. Isolation and Roguing

For maintenance of genetic purity of the crop it requires isolation and proper rouging. This can be achieved in the compact area programme, as it will be the mutual benefit to the farmers who are concentrating growing on single variety on compact area.

“The light of unconditional love awakens the dormant seed potential of the soul helping them ripen, blossom and bear fruit, allowing us to bring the unique gifts that are ours to offer in this life”

–John Wehwood

Introduction

In nature and in humans, seeds are vehicles for spreading new life from place to place. In plants, it refers to the unit of dispersal that survives between seed maturation and its establishment as a seedling. A seed, like a fortress, protects and sustains life as they are well-stocked with special food supplies to endure long sieges. There are many things that seeds are, but above all else, they are the means of survival of their species. It is a way of suspending embryonic development and then resuming it years later after the parents have passed away.

Technically, seed is the sexually produced matured ovule consisting of an intact embryo, endosperm and or cotyledon with protective covering (seed coat). A true seed consist of an embryonic plant, a store of food which consists of cotyledons and endosperm and a protective seed coat. Seed can also be considered as any material that is used for planting or regeneration purpose. Rather than seed, propagating materials like healthy seedlings, tuber, bulbs, rhizome, roots, cuttings, setts, slips, all types of grafts and vegetatively propagating materials used for production purpose is also referred to as seed. Thus, seeds are of two types namely sexual or botanical seed and asexual seed. Both can be used for raising the crops thus forms the agricultural seeds.

Based on the moisture content present, seeds are of two types, orthodox seeds and recalcitrant seeds. Orthodox seeds are the botanical seeds which contain moisture content less than 20%. Such seeds do not germinate even if the moisture content is more than 20% unless artificially forced to germinate. Recalcitrant seeds contain moisture content more than 20% and such seeds will not germinate if moisture content is less than 20%. These seeds cannot be stored for long and for long storage, special structures or conditions are required. Mostly perennial plant species produce this type of seeds.

Seeding /Sowing

Seeding is the process of planting seeds in soil to grow crops, plants, or grass. It is a fundamental step in the cultivation of plants and is essential for agricultural production, landscaping, and reforestation. The goal of seeding is to establish and promote the growth of desirable plants, allowing them to germinate, develop, and eventually mature into a full-grown plant, tree, or crop.

The process of seeding typically involves placing seeds at a specific depth in the soil, providing the necessary conditions for germination (such as water, light, and temperature), and ensuring proper spacing between seeds to allow for healthy plant growth. The choice of seeding method and the timing of seeding can vary depending on the type of plant or crop being grown and the specific environmental conditions of the planting area.

Seeding can be done manually by hand; using specialized seeding tools and equipment, or through mechanized methods, such as using tractors and seed drills for larger agricultural operations. The success of seeding is crucial for the establishment of healthy and productive plants, making it a critical step in agriculture and horticulture.

The seed drills and planters developed and manufactured in advanced countries are designed to meet the requirements of farmers for the different crops and agro-climatic conditions. These machines are capable of operating at high working speed, cover the large area per unit time and provide the desired plant emergence and stand in the fields. The machines are available to handle the seeds of cereals, pulses, oil seeds and other crops widely grown in the developed countries. In developing countries even though these machines can be made available but they are beyond the reach of small farmers. The level of mechanization of sowing and planting is at a very low level.