Seed Storage

Storage starts in the mother plant itself when it attains physiological maturity. Storage may be defined as the preservation of viable seeds from the time of collection until they are required for sowing. After harvesting the seeds are either stored in ware houses or in transit or in retail shop.

Ewart (1908) classified seeds into 3 categories based on life span or longitivity

1. Micro biotic: Seed life span not exceeding 3 years.
2. Mesobiotic: Seed life span not exceeding from 3 to 15 years.
3. Macrobiotic: Seed life span not exceeding from 15 years to over 1000 years.

Roberts (1973) classified seeds based on physiological behaviour during storing

1. ORTHODOX SEED Seeds dried to low moisture of 5% (wet basis) and stored at low or Sub- freezing temperature for long period. Example:Cereals, pulses and oil seeds.
2. RECALCITRANT SEED Seeds dried to high moisture of 20 - 50% (wet basis) and which cannot be successfully stored for long period. Example: Mango, Jack fruit, Coconut etc

i. Conventional Methods Conventional storage includes storage in Bamboo structure, mud and earthen structure, wooden structure and underground structure. In village level storage is done in large level in concrete/ cement silos, Metal or plastic drums and metal silos. Improved rural level storage structure includes storage in coal tar drum, udaipur bin, bamboo bin, pusa bin and metal bins.

ii. Modern Methods a. Seed storage in cryopreservation: It is the technique of germplasm conservation (storage of cells, tissue, embryo or seeds) by ultra-low temperature in liquid nitrogen at -196oC. It is not practical for commercial seed storage purpose, but is useful to store the valuable germplasm for use in future which cannot be preserved by conventional methods.

b. Seed storage in gene bank: In gene bank, seed storage is the preservation of seed under controlled environmental condition which will prolong the viability of the seeds for long periods. The temperature, relative humidity and seed moisture content. Containers and distribution arrangement vary for each and every type of seed.

c. Svalbard seed bank: The seeds are stored in four ply sealed envelopes, and then placed into plastic tote containers on metal shelving racks. The storage rooms are kept at -18oC. The low temperature and limited access to O2 will ensure low metabolic activity and delayed seed ageing. The permafrost surrounding will help to maintain low temperature of the seed when the electricity supply fails.

Nanotechnology in Agriculture: Currently nanotechnology provides different nano devices and nano material that have a unique role in agriculture. For example Nano biosensors to detect moisture content and nutrient status in the soil. Nanotechnology can offer Nano-fertilizers for efficient nutrient management, Nano- herbicides for selective weed control in crop field, Nanonutrient particles to increase seed vigor, Nano-pesticides for efficient pest management. Hence, nanotechnology have greater role in crop production with environmental safety, ecological sustainability and economic stability.

Seed certification is a legally sanctioned system for quality control of seed multiplication and production. The purpose of this certification is to maintain the seeds and make them available to the public. Through certification, high quality seeds and propagating materials of notified kind and variety are grown and distributed to ensure genetic identity and purity.

Summary Economic Botany deals with the relationship between people and economically important plants to fulfill the three basic needs of life such as food, clothing and shelter. Domestication, a term often used for a more intricate process, involves the genetic alteration of plants which did not appear at once, but rather over a substantial period of time, perhaps hundreds of years for some species. In the history of agriculture Vavilov has given the eight main centres of origin of plants were now divided into 12 centres of origin. In Organic agriculture biofertilizers are microbial inoculants which all ecofriendly, more effective even though cost effective than chemical fertilizers. Rhizobium, Azolla, VAM and sea weeds are used as fertilizers which increase the crop yield many fold. Plant breeding is a purposeful manipulation of plant species in order to create desirable genotype and phenotype for the benefit of mankind. Plant introduction, selection, hybridization, heterosis, mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding and green revolution are the different methods of conventional breeding. Seed is an important part of the plant as it gives the food for future generation, so it should be carefully protected and stored. Seed hardening, seed treatment, seed pelleting, seed coating and bio priming of seeds are the modern methods of seed protection. Seeds are stored in bamboo structure, mud or earthen structure in conventional method of storage. In villages, the farmers store the entire seeds in concrete / cement silos or metal or plastic drums. In modern methods of storage we have cryo preservation, gene bank and Svalbard seed bank for long time seed storage.

Agronomy : Science of farming

Certified seed : Seed produced from the foundation or certified seed under the regulation of a legally constituted agency.

Germplasm Collection : The entire collection (of plants / seeds) having all the diverse alleles for all genes in a given crop is called germplasm collection.

Non recurrent parent : The parent of a hybrid that is not again used as a parent in backcrossing

Pure-Line: Progeny of a single self-fertilised homozygous individual.

Quarantine : Strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease

Strain : A group of similar individuals from a common origin.

Biofortification – breeding crops with higher lev and healthier fats – is the most practical means to Breeding for improved nutritional quality is undertaken with the objectives of improving

• Protein content and qualit.
• Oil content and qualit.
• Vitamin content an.
• Micronutrient and mineral content

In 2000, maize hybrids that had twice the amount o to existing maize hybrids were developed. Wheat has been used a donor for improving cultivated fortified rice variety containing over five times as The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New that are rich in vitamins and minerals, example: vitamin C enriched bitter gourd, bathua, mustard protein enriched beans – broad, lablab, French ga

Sugar cane: Saccharum bareri was originally grown yield. Tropical canes grown in South India Saccharu content but did not grow well in North India. These cane varieties combining the desirable qualities of hig in the sugarcane areas of North India.