SEED QUALITY CONTROL
As per the section 6 (a) of the seeds Act 1966 the minimum limits of germination and purity standards have been notified for different kinds and according to section 6 (b) of the act a mark or label should be attached with the seed container with required particulars.
Under section 7 of the said act the sale of seeds of notified kinds and varieties are regulated. Every person selling seeds should sell seeds
Which are identifiable to its kind and variety.
Should posses the minimum required seed standards for germination, physical purity and genetic purity.
Should affix a mark or label with correct particular to the seed container.
Should carryout such other instruction given by the State Government as prescribed under rules.
Also under Rule -13 there are some requirements for every dealer to comply with
- No. person shall keep for sale any seed after the date of its validity
- The mark of label should not be tampered
- Every person selling seeds should keep complete lot wise records of seeds for atleast for a period of three year which also include a seed sample from each lot which may be kept for one year.
Notified seed inspectors inspect the seed selling points to verify the quality of the seeds. They also draw seed samples when they suspect the quality of the seeds being sold. Seeds are then, sent to Seed Testing Laboratories for analysis. Legal actions are initiated against the defaulters based on the analytical results. Seed selling licenses are issued under Seed Control Order 1983. Seed Inspectors also take appropriate action as and when complaints are received from farmers.
Role of farmers in maintaining the quality of seeds
Farmers should purchase the seeds only in the licensed seed selling points. Verify the details furnished in the producers label attached to the seed bag.
The label should possess the following details
SL.No.
Crop
Variety
Lot No.
Date of Test (Date/Month/Year)
Validity period (Date/Month/Year)
Germination %( Minimum)
Physical purity (Minimum)
Genetic purity (Minimum)
Net weight
Chemical used for seed treatment
Name and address of the producer
(Caution in red ink should be furnished for Name of the chemical, and “Do not use for Food, Fodder, or Oil purpose)
Certified seed Tag
When the farmers suspect the quality, they should report the matter to the concerned seed Inspector. Further they should keep with them the tag, label and the container of the seed bag. If the seeds do not germinate properly, the fact should be reported to the seed inspector concerned.
Whenever the farmers purchase seeds they should verify the variety and its performance. They should avoid purchasing un notified varieties.
The farmers should obtain receipt for the purchase of seeds without fail. In the receipt, details on variety, Lot number and validity period should be verified at the time of purchase.
Seed testing
Seed testing is the science of evaluating the planting value of the seeds. The primary aim of the seed testing is to obtain accruable and reproducible results regarding the quality status of the seed samples submitted to the Seed Testing Laboratories.
1. Service samples for the farmers, producers and sellers on payment of cost @ Rs. 30/- per sample to know the seed standard of their seeds. This type of samples is drawn and send to the seed testing lab by the Farmers, Producers and the sellers to know their seed standards.
The samples received from the three categories are analysed and results are communicated to the concerned within 30 days from the date of receipt of the samples.
Anybody including farmers can test their samples for it standard before the seeds are being certified, sold or sown.
2. Certified samples for certification purposes on payment of Rs. 20/- per sample by the producers as testing charges collected at the time of registration.
This type of samples is drawn by the certification officers and send them to the seed testing lab through the Assistant Director of Seed Certification with a secret code No. On receipt of the results the code will be decoded by the ADSC and then the results are sent to the producer for further certification procedure to be completed.
2. Official samples for the quality control purpose at government cost. This type of samples are drawn by the seed inspectors for the quality control as per the seed control order and Seed act to assure the availability of quality seeds to the farming community.
The seed samples received in the Seed Testing Laboratories are analysed and results are communicated to the concerned.
The following tests are conducted
- Germination
- Physical purity
- O.D.V.( Other Distinguishable Variety)
- Moisture
The Seed Testing Laboratory is the hub of seed quality control. Seed testing services are required from time to time to gain information regarding planting value of seed lots. Seed testing is possible for all those who produce, sell and use seeds.
Minimum seed standards
Sl.No |
Crop |
Submitted sample (in gm) |
Working sample |
Phy. purity %
|
Germi-nation %
|
Moisture %
|
O.D.V. |
CS |
SS |
FS |
C |
I |
Cereals &Millets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. |
Paddy |
400 |
50 |
40 |
98 |
80 |
13 |
0.05 |
0.2 |
2. |
Cumbu- Hy & var |
150 |
25 |
15 |
98 |
75 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
3. |
Ragi |
60 |
25 |
6 |
97 |
75 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
4. |
Sorghum- Hy & var |
900 |
100 |
90 |
98 |
75 |
12 |
10/kg |
20/kg |
5. |
Maize - inbreds |
1000 |
500 |
900 |
98 |
80 |
12 |
0 |
5/kg |
|
Maize - others |
1000 |
500 |
900 |
98 |
90 |
12 |
5/kg |
10/kg |
6. |
Barley |
1000 |
|
120 |
98 |
85 |
12 |
10 |
20 |
7. |
Oats |
1000 |
|
120 |
98 |
85 |
12 |
10 |
20 |
8. |
Wheat |
1000 |
|
120 |
98 |
85 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
|
Pulses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9. |
Redgram-Hy &var |
1000 |
150 |
300 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
10. |
Black gram |
1000 |
100 |
150 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
11. |
Green gram |
1000 |
100 |
120 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
12. |
Cowpea |
1000 |
150 |
400 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
13. |
Bengal gram |
1000 |
400 |
1000 |
98 |
85 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
14. |
Horse gram |
500 |
100 |
500 |
98 |
80 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
15. |
Peas |
1000 |
250 |
900 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
16. |
French bean |
1000 |
450 |
700 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
17. |
Field bean |
1000 |
450 |
600 |
98 |
75 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
|
Oil seeds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18. |
Ground nut |
1000 |
500 |
1000 |
96 |
70 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
19. |
Sunflower-V/Hy |
1000/250 |
100 |
250/125 |
98 |
70 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
20. |
Gingelly |
70 |
25 |
7 |
97 |
80 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
21. |
Castor |
1000 |
250 |
1000 |
98 |
70 |
8 |
5 |
10 |
22. |
Soybean |
1000 |
150 |
500 |
98 |
70 |
12 |
10 |
20 |
|
Fibre crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23. |
Cotton (Hy) |
350-L
250-DL |
200
100 |
35
25 |
98 |
65 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
cotton (var) |
1000-L
350-DL |
350
150 |
350
35 |
98 |
65 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
Vegetable crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24. |
Ash gourd |
700 |
100 |
70 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
25. |
Bittergourd V/Hy |
1000 |
250 |
450 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
26. |
Bottle gourd |
700 |
100 |
70 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
27. |
Ridgegourd Hy/var |
1000 |
150 |
400 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
28. |
Snakegourd |
1000 |
250 |
250 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
29. |
Watermelon V/Hy |
1000 |
100 |
250 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
30. |
Cucumber V/hy |
150 |
100 |
70 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
31. |
Pumpkin V/Hy |
350 |
100 |
180 |
98 |
60 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fruit vegetables |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32. |
Brinjal V/Hy |
150 |
10 |
15 |
98 |
70 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
33. |
Chillies |
150 |
10 |
15 |
98 |
60 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
34. |
Bhendi |
1000 |
100 |
140 |
99 |
65 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
35. |
Tomato V/Hy |
7(hy),70 |
10 |
7 |
98 |
70 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
36. |
Greens |
70 |
50 |
7 |
95 |
70 |
8 |
10 |
20 |
|
Cole crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37. |
Cabbage |
100 |
10 |
10 |
98 |
70 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
38. |
Caulliflower |
100 |
10 |
10 |
98 |
65 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
39. |
Knol kohl |
100 |
10 |
10 |
98 |
70 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bulb crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40. |
Onion V/Hy |
80 |
10 |
80 |
98 |
70 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
Root crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
41. |
Carrot V/Hy |
30 |
10 |
3 |
95 |
60 |
8 |
5 |
10 |
42. |
Beet root |
500 |
50 |
50 |
96 |
60 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
43. |
Radish V/Hy |
300 |
50 |
30 |
98 |
70 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
44. |
Turnip V/Hy |
70 |
10 |
7 |
98 |
70 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
45. |
Cluster bean |
1000 |
100 |
100 |
98 |
70 |
9 |
10 |
20 |
|
Forage crops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46. |
Sunhemp |
700 |
50 |
70 |
98 |
80 |
|
0 |
0 |
47. |
Daincha |
900 |
25 |
90 |
98 |
70 |
|
0 |
0 |
48. |
Lucerene |
50 |
25 |
5 |
98 |
80 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
49. |
Cenchrus |
25 |
|
3 |
80 |
30 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
50. |
Stylosnathus |
70 |
|
7 |
90 |
40 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
51. |
Kolinji |
|
|
90 |
|
70 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
52. |
Palak |
250 |
25 |
25 |
96 |
60 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
53. |
Spinach |
250 |
25 |
25 |
98 |
70 |
|
0 |
0 |
54. |
Papaya |
400 |
|
40 |
98 |
60 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
55. |
Moringa |
1000 |
|
750 |
96 |
70 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
56. |
Coriander |
400 |
|
40 |
95 |
65 |
|
0 |
0 |
ODV: Other Distinguishing Variety
CS-Certified Sample; SS-Service Sample; FS – Foundation Seed
HY-Hybrid; Var-Variety |