Seed Quality Enhancement: Principles and Practices
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Quality seed is the key for successful agriculture, which demands each and every seed should be readily germinable and produce a vigorous seedling ensuring high yield. “Care with the seed and joy with the harvest” and “Good seed doesn’t cost it always pays” are the popular adage which enlightens the importance of the quality seed. The farmers always very much interested in the best seed management practices which are safe, environmentally sound and scientifically proven technologies. Understandably, in view of the importance of quality seeds in Agriculture, both as a product and as a means of establishing a crop, most attention at all levels of investigation has been directed to crop seeds.
Since seed is a biological entity, deterioration beyond harvest is inevitable. The consequences of low quality seeds are poor germination, low and delayed emergence and weak growth leading to poor field stand and ultimately reflecting on reduced yield. Low productivity could be attributed broadly to use of poor quality seeds. At present to overcome this, several seed enhancement techniques are available for quality upgradation. It has two goals; one is related to seed designing and other to seed functioning.
The rationale for pre-sowing seed enhancement techniques is to mobilize the seeds own resources and to augment them with external resources to get maximum improvement in field stand establishment and yield. To achieve this, several physical, physiological and biochemical treatments are available at present to give value addition to seeds.
Physiological seed treatments that improve seed performance are based primarily on seed hydration and dehydration. Among several non physiological seed treatments, coating or pelleting can also indirectly improve seed germination, stand establishment and crop productivity.
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Um höfundinn
Dr. K. Vanangamudi, Professor (Seed Science and Technology),Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He is a Co-principal Investigator for various ICAR NAIP scheme on ‘Development of e-course materials for B.Sc (Ag) degree programme’, Principle Investigator of GOI schemes NIMI on ‘Development of instructional materials for ITI students in agriculture sector’ and ‘Development of instructional materials for COE both BBBT and advance modules’. He was the former Dean (Agri), Agricultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Coimbatore (March 2006 – July 2009), former Dean of AP, Agricultural College, TNAU, Kalavai, Vellore (September 2003 – February 2006), and former Professor and Head of Dept. of Seed Science and Technology, TNAU, CBE 3 (March 2001 – August 2003). As Dean (Agri) he started three new UG degree programmes: B.Tech in Bioinformatics (2006–2007), B.Tech in Agricultural Information Technology (2006–2008) and B.S in Agribusiness Management (2007–2008). As a faculty Dean of TNAU, Dr. Vanangamudi is possessed with a substantial experience in e-education and therefore he introduced e-learning, e-teaching, e-class, e-registration, e-attendance, e-communication, e-assignment, online examination and e-evaluation for the UG degree programme. This is implemented in 12 UG degrees being offered at 10 constituent and four affiliated colleges.
G. Sastry
Dr. G. Sasthri, Assistant Professor of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. She has 5 years of experience in research, seed production and extension; 2 years of experience in teaching. She has contributed 17 book chapters, published 26 research papers in National and International Journals and 15 popular articles both in Tamil and English. She has presented two papers in National Seminar. Her area of specialization includes cotton and pulses seed production.
S. Kalaivani
Ms. S. Kalaivani, has completed B.Sc. (Agri.) during 2008 and M.Sc. (Ag.) majoring in Seed Science and Technology during 2010 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. For her thesis, she worked on “Seed biopriming studies with biocontrol agents and liquid biofertilizers in COH(M) 5 maize hybrid” under the guidance of Dr. K. Vanangamudi. She is now working as Research Fellow in GOI scheme “Development of Instructional materials for COE both BBBT & advance modules”. She has contributed 6 chapters for the book entitled “e-Learning: An experience” and one abstract in the National Seed Congress held at IARI, New Delhi on 26th January, 2010.
A. Selvakumari
Ms. A. Selvakumari, has completed B.Sc. (Agri.) during 2003, M.Sc. (Ag.) majoring in Seed Science and Technology during 2005 and Ph.D during 2010 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. She carried out research on “Stadardization of seed fortification and development of comprehensive seed treatment for enhancing seed quality, productivity and storability of Pionner maize hybrid 31y45” for her Ph.D thesis under the guidance of Dr. K. Vanangamudi. She is now working as Research Fellow at the Department of Seed Science and Technology. She has contributed 4 chapters for the book entitled “e-Learning: An experience” 7 research papers at national and international levels and 4 popular articles in Tamil. She has presented two papers in National Seminar and three abstracts in the National Seed Congress.
M. Vanangamudi
Dr. Mallika Vanangamudi is Professor of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. She has 23 years of experience in the field of teaching, research and extension service. At present she is the Principle Investigator of “Survey and Ecological conservation of NLC environment through bioremediation with tree species” and headed four research projects funded by various agencies. She has authored 4 books. Her area of specialization includes Eco-Physiology and Nutrio-Physiology. She has been awarded the best student for Ph.D., programme during 1986. She has published 48 research papers in Internationals and National Journals and 25 popular articles both in Tamil and English. She has also presented papers in National and International Conference and Seminars. She has guided 10 M.Sc., (Ag.) and 2 Ph.D., students.
P. Srimathi
Dr. P. Srimathi, Ph D, Professor of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore has 24 years of experience in education, research and extension works related to seed science and its technical application. She has worked with National Seed Project and handled 5 schemes as CO PI and one scheme as PI. She has also guided 9 M.Sc., (Ag.) students and 4 Ph.D., scholars for their dissertation work. She has contributed nearly 50 book chapters, published 120 research papers in reputed National and International Journals and 45 popular articles both in Tamil and English. She has also presented papers in National symposium and has her specialization with tree seed technology and seed invigouration techniques.
