L E S S O N 5

SECURING AND TESTING

SEED
Jessa L. Abante

BEED III YEAR

ELED 322
THE VALUE OF GOOD SEEDS CAN NEVER BE
OVER-EMPHASIZED IN VEGETABLE GROWING.
GOOD SEEDS WHEN PROPERLY PLANTED, WILL
YIELD SUBSTANTIAL CROPS. SINCE THE COST OF
SEEDS IS ONLY A SMALL ITEM IN THE COST OF
PRODUCTION, THE PLANTER SHOULD NEVER RISK
CROP FAILURE BY USING UNSELECTED AND
UNTESTED SEEDS. THE BEST SEEDS THAT CAN BE
OBTAINED SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED.
GOOD SEEDS
1. GOOD SEEDS SHOULD HAVE SUPERIORITY IN KIND. IT
SHOULD PRODUCE HEAVY AND GOOD QUALITY CROPS AND
SHOULD BE RESISTANT.
2. GOOD SEEDS MUST BE CLEAN AND FREE FROM IMPURITIES
ALTHOUGH AT TIMES THERE IS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF
DIRT AND CHAFF.
3. GOOD SEEDS SHOULD BE VIABLE. THEY SHOULD BE PLUMP
AND WELL DEVELOPED. WRINKLING OF THE SEED (WITH
THE EXEPTION OF SWEET CORN AND SWEET PEA).
 TESTING THE VIABILITY OF SEEDS IS ESSENTIAL TO A
PROFITABLE CROP PRODUCTION. THE GROWER WILL
KNOW THE CAPACITY OF THE SEED TO GERMINATE. THE
TEST WILL SHOW THE GERMINATION PERCENTAGE OF
THE SEED STOCK, DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF THE SEED,
AND ESTABLISH THE RATE OF SHOWING FOR A GIVEN
STAND OF SEEDLINGS.
 1.RAGDOLL METHOD

A. TAKE A RAG OR A TOWEL OF AVERAGE SIZE AND

THICKNESS (30 CM WIDE AND A METER LONG)

B. TAKE A RANDOM A SAMPLE FROM THE BULK OF

SEEDS. TAKE NOTE OF THE NUMBER.

C. DISTRIBUTE THE SEEDS EVENLY ON THE RAG OR

TOWEL AND ROLL IT. ROLL SHOULD NOT BE TOO TIGHT.

D. MOISTEN THE CLOTH AND PLACE IT IN A WARM PLACE. SPRINKLE WITH

WATERFROM TIME TO TIME. AFTER ONE WEEK,UNROLL THE RAG AND DETERMINE
THE GERMINATION OF THE SEEDS.
2. SEED BOX METHOD OR SEED PLOTS

A. TAKE SEEDS AT RANDOM FROM BULK OF SEEDS.

B. SOW THE SEEDS IN ROWS IN A SEED BOX.

C. COVER THE SEEDS LIGHTLY WITH A THIN LAYER OF SOIL.

D. WATER THE SEEDS OCCASIONALLY.

3. PLATE OR DISH METHOD

A. LINE THE PLATE WITH A PIECE OF WET BLOTTING

PAPER OR A TWO-LAYER WET COTTON CLOTH.

B. PLACE THE SEEDS TO BE TESTED. TAKE NOTE OF THE NUMBER.

C. COVER WITH ANOTHER MOISTENED BLOTTING PAPER OR

COTTON CLOTH.

D. SET ASIDE IN A WARM PLACE. SPRINKLE IT WITH

WATER FROM TIME TO TIME.

E. AFTER ONE WEEK, REMOVE THE TOP COVER

AND COUNT THE NUMBER OF GERMINATED
SEEDS.
THANK YOU!
L E S S O N 5