Dr.

Meenakshi Rathi
 UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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Sample ?
 It is the true representative of homogenous seed lot and used
for seed quality testing.

 Sample should be true representative

 Sampling refers to the drawing of small quantity of seed from

various proportion of seed lot.
 UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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Why seed sampling?

 It is impossible to test each & every seed harvested
from field
 so a representative sample is drawn from seed lot
 Information on sample
-Month year code
-Production location code
-Processing plant code
-Seed stock code
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Classification
 Primary Sample: A primary sample is a small portion from a
lot at a particular stage, with the object of forming a composite
sample.

 Composite Sample: A composite sample is formed by

combining and mixing all the primary samples taken from a
lot and a part of this sample is sent to laboratory for test.
 UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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 Submitted Sample: A composite sample is usually larger in

quantity than what is required for testing therefore it is
reduced to submit.

 Working sample: The working sample is a part taken from

the submitted sample in the laboratory, to be subjected to
quality tests as described in the rules.
UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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Sampling intensity
UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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 UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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 Hand sampling:

This is followed for sampling the non free flowing seeds or

chaffy and fuzzy seeds such as cotton, tomato, grass seeds etc.
In this method, it is very difficult to take samples from the
deeper layers of bag.
 UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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 The Nobbe trier is used for sampling free-flowing, small seeded
crops in bags or penetrable containers. It is ideal for clovers,
timothy, brassicas and small vegetable seeds.

 Sleeve type triers or stick triers: consists of a hollow brass

tube inside with a closely fitting outer sleeve or jacket which
has a solid pointed end. When the inner tube is turned, the
slots in the tube and the sleeve are in line. The inner tube
may or may not have partitions.
UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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Sampling instruments
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 If there are 10 containers how many samples you will draw?

 If there is a heap of wheat grains amounting 5000 kg how many

samples will be drawn by it?
UPCATET and Rajasthan JET | Seed Science| 2pm
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Dr. Meenakshi Rathi
Seed Dormancy - definitions
 Dormancy - “internal” conditions that prevent
germination when seed is subjected to favorable
environmental conditions

 Quiescence - capability of seeds to germinate

immediately upon exposure to conditions
favorable for germination (secondary
dormancy)
 Disadvantage
 The condition of seed dormancy poses problems and a challenge
to the seed analyst and seed technologists.

 Dormancy may cause seed of numerous species to remain

ungerminated in the soil for many years, to appear as unwanted
plants in later crops, even after years of intensive cultivation.

 Dormancy interfere planting schedule and create uneven and

delayed field emergence.
 Advantages:
 Allows seed to overcome adverse sowing
conditions such as heavy frost, dry weather or
excessive moisture.
 Impermeable seeds maintain seed quality under
adverse conditions of harvest (damp seasons) and
storage (high humidity) particularly in cotton.
 It prevents pre-harvest sprouting (vivipary) and
helps in maintaining seed quality
Mechanism of seed dormancy
Dormancy caused by embryo covering
(pericarp, testa, perisperm and
endosperm)
1. Restriction to gaseous exchange
2. Restriction of water uptake
3. Mechanical restriction to embryo growth
4. Water soluble inhibitors in the embryo covering
5. Dormancy from the failure to mobilize extra-embryonic
food reserve.
Mechanism of seed dormancy
B. Embryo Dormancy
1. Underdeveloped and undifferentiated embryo
2. Block to nucleic acid and protein synthesis
3. Failure to mobilize food reserves of embryo
4. Deficiency of plant growth substances
5. Presence of inhibitors
Types of seed dormancy
 Primary - dormancy present in the seed at maturity
(also called True dormancy, organic dormancy, innate
Dormancy, constitutive dormancy)

 Secondary - Dormancy that develops from

conditions that delay germination after primary
dormancy is satisfied. (enforced, imposed,
quiescence)
 Primary Dormancy
 Exogenous Dormancies : Dormancy is due to some
features of the seed located outside the embryo.
a) Impermeability of seed coat to water e.g. malvaceae
b) Impermeability of seed coat to gases
c) Inhibitors present with in the seed coat. -aflotoxin
(barley), ferulic and caffeic acids (tomato) and
coumarin (in most of species)
d) Mechanical resistance of seed coat to germinating
embryo.
Endogenous Dormancies : The reason for dormancy is present
within the embryo.
a) Underdevelopment of the embryo e.g. Palmaceae,
magnoliaceae.( also called as Morphological dormancy)
b) Physiological conditions of the embryo coupled with its
impermeability to gases (also known as Physiological
dormancy)
 Double (combinational) dormancies (2 or more kinds of
primary dormancy)
Methods To Overcome Dormancy
Scarification: hard seed coat is ruptured or

weakened.

Natural scarification: in digestive tracts of animals,

seed may lose inhibitors or seed coat permeability.

Artificial scarification

Mechanical abrasion –by using scarifires. E.g.

Legumes and okra while in large seed & less quantity-

with hammer or knife rubber and bitter gourd

Acid soaks: Conc. sulphuric acid (5-60 minutes)-

cotton
Stratification (Low temp. and high temperature treatment)

Low temperature (pre-chilling) treatment: 5-10oC for vegetable,

flower, medicinal seeds for 7 days

while for rosaceae species 2-6 months and for cherry 0- 5oC for 3-
10 days

High tempeture (pre-heating) treatment: not exceeding 30-35oC

for 7 days
Hot water treatment: (80+1oC for 1-2 minutes)- in pulses

3. Dry storage: paddy, carrot

4. Light: (Photoblastic seeds): Lettuce and tobbaco

Treatment with growth regulators and Chemicals:

 Growth promoters: GA3 (10-1000ppm) and kinetin (10-50ppm)

 Other chemicals: potassium nitrate ( KNO3)-0.2% in oat, barley,

tomato

 Thiourea: 0.5-3.0% solution for chicory, gladiolus etc.