Seed Drying, Processing and Storage

Description

Seed drying is necessary to reduce the moisture content of the seed to a safe level so that it can be stored. The drying techniques must maintain seed quality, and not decrease the seed's viability. Delays in drying, incomplete drying or ineffective drying, reduce seed quality and its viability. Wet seeds are more vulnerable to pest and disease attack and to deterioration in physical quality. Seed is the starting point of agriculture and dictates ultimate productivity of other inputs. Good quality seed alone increases the yield by 15-20 per cent. Sowing seeds are dried after harvest to make long time storage possible. Drying too fast and mechanical damage may cause decline in vigour and viability of the seed. Seeds are also dried after wet sterilisation and after coating, priming and pelletising. Providing the best conditions for crop growth and health is the foundation of seed quality along with the factors of harvesting, extraction, cleaning, transportation, and storage. The purpose of this publication is to provide guidelines for minimising seed damage and maximising seed viability and vigour; from pre-harvest through post-harvest processing. This book provides a wide range of information on seed storage. How the seed storage can be made more effective from the initial selection and drying of seeds to protective measures, packaging and transportation are explained in detail. It is the work of an expert in this field.