Seed Quality and Testing Methods

Flashcards defining key terminology and procedures for assessing seed quality and viability.

Viability of Seeds

The ability of seeds to germinate and develop into healthy plants.

Visual Inspection

A method used to measure the cleanliness of a seed lot by checking its composition, removing impurities (such as broken, undersized, diseased, or insect-infected seeds, weed seeds, chaff, stones, and soil), and noting the remaining pure seed fraction.

Water Treatment

A seed testing procedure where seeds are soaked in tap water for a few minutes to a day to separate defective floating seeds from better-quality sinking seeds.

Germination

The sprouting or the start of the growth of the seed.

Germination Test

The most reliable method of determining seed viability, used to guide planting density or the need for pretreatment by counting normal seedlings that grow after 1 to 3 weeks.

Ragdoll Method

The simplest and most practical way of testing seeds, carried out by placing seeds in rows on a piece of cloth or towel and rolling it up.