SEED DETERIORATION , a serious problem in seed industry.

Seed Deterioration is a biological process which cannot be stopped or reversed but reduction of cellular damages caused during seed storage will decelerate the speed of seed deterioration.

The factors of seed deterioration listed below are well addressed with modern thechniques and preventive measures to safe guard the precious seeds:

Nevertheless the cause for seed deterioration is not just these factors.

‘Free Radicals’ (FR) as the cause of seed deterioration was propounded by Prof. R.N. Basu, which is widely accepted. He developed Hydration – dehydration (H-DH) treatment to quench the ‘FR’. He and his team of students standardized the various aspects and established its beneficial effect. The treatment given to seeds in the mid-way of storage effectively controlled the deterioration process and helped to maintain high vigour and viability during subsequence storage of seeds. In spite of the best results, this treatment was not adopted in large scale by the seed sector due to practical difficulties encountered to follow the treatment procedure with bulk quantity of seeds.

In early 90’s, seed scientist prof. Dr.C.Dharmalingam, through his 35 years of continuous research on seed ageing, evolved a process which was industrially feasible and a very effective methodology to reduce the free radical production by strengthening the C=C (double bond) through halogen vapours by which the radicals were made more stable for oxidative changes and reduce the production of FR. This Halogenation process has proved to be very effective.

The halogenated seeds triggered the in situ vigour and viability and helped to maintain almost the same level during subsequent storage. This treatment can be given both to harvest-fresh and stored seeds with good benefits. Research studies carried out in different kinds of halogenated seeds yielded reproducible results with higher germination, seedling vigour, field stand and higher productivity

For the past 10 years, around 6 seed scientists apart from 8 Ph.D and 15 M.Sc (Ag.) students have worked in different agricultural and horticultural seeds through various schemes and published their confirmative results.

The reproducible results achieved over a decade of research in laboratory and in on farm trials on various crops in Tamil Nadu and at the National level enabled the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and National Seed project of ICAR to recommend this product for adoption by seed producers and farmers to save their valuable seeds.

To know more about the research studies and the areas covered, kindly refer our research data blog.