Seed Selection and Storage Solution

In modern agriculture, the quality of seeds plays a vital role in crop growth and yield. Seeds' quality directly affects crops' growth and development, disease resistance, and final yield. And the quality of seeds needs to be screened for seed management stations, customs and quarantine stations, universities and seed enterprises.

Accurate testing and assessment of seed quality before planting is essential. Standard procedures for selecting good quality seed and for storage are discussed next.

Sampling

The purpose of seed sampling is to obtain a truly representative sample suitable for testing. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of seed sampling, a splitter is selected to sample the seed.

There are three common types of seed splitters:

1. Motorised centrifugal: This type of sampler is suitable for small grain crops. Adjusting the rotational speed according to the seeds, it is possible to accurately sample a large number of seeds in a short period of time.

2. Stainless steel bell jar type: Suitable for large-scale seed sampling of soybeans, rice, corn, etc.

3. Horizontal format: This is one of the most commonly used seed sorting methods. It mainly uses the width of the slot to classify the seeds and is suitable for medium- to large-sized seeds such as corn, soybean, and rice.

Screening

Preliminary screening

Further removal of impurities and undesirable seeds from the sample. Screening is divided into two main ways. One is to manually inspect and clean the seeds using a seed purification bench to remove impurities and undesirable seeds from the surface of the seeds. It is commonly used for manual cleaning and purification of small batches of seeds and is suitable for detailed inspection and treatment.

The second is using screeners to remove impurities, broken seeds, foreign seeds, etc., through the sieve, vibration, and other means of preliminary cleaning and separation of seeds to improve their purity and quality.

Advanced Screening

After initial screening, seeds can be further improved by removing light impurities using the seed purity wind separator. The purity wind sorter uses wind power to separate the seeds from light impurities, removing light impurities through gravity and wind power to improve the purity of the seeds. Remove light impurities on the surface of seeds or mixed in, such as chaff, husk, etc., to improve the purity and quality of seeds. (Applicable to light seeds)

Seed quality testing

An important criterion for determining seed quality is the absence of undesirable substances. Purity is the first indication of how "clean" the seed is. After screening the seed, we also evaluate its weight and vigor to ensure better planting value. Usually, we use automatic seed counters, thousand kernel weighers, and seed X-ray machines.

Seed weighing and counting

Seed counting and thousand kernel weight are two tools used to check and analyze the quality of seeds.

Thousand kernel weight is the weight of one thousand seeds, an important indicator of seed size and weight uniformity, and one of the most important parameters for assessing seed quality. Seed size and quality are assessed by weighing a thousand seeds and then calculating the average weight of each seed.

An automatic grain counter is a device that automatically counts and analyses the number of grains or seeds. It can count and classify large quantities of grains quickly and accurately by means of optical or other sensing technology.

Seed X-ray machine

Seed X-ray machines help assess seeds' quality and internal characteristics by providing a non-destructive view of the internal structure, morphology and density distribution of seeds through X-ray imaging.

X-ray imaging can help detect whether the seed interior is infested with pathogenic microorganisms or pests and detect and treat infected seeds in advance.

Germination Tests

The primary purpose of laboratory seed germination testing is to assess seed quality and predict seedling performance in the field. The ultimate goal of germination testing in a seed testing laboratory is to determine a seed sample's planting value and infer the quality of a seed lot. We typically use a vacuum seed bed apparatus to place the seeds, which are then placed in an incubator for germination.

Seed moisture determination

Seeds need to maintain a certain moisture content to sustain their vigour during storage. Too high or too low a moisture content can affect the storage stability and shelf life of the seed. Moisture content of seeds can be controlled by moisture determination, which helps to maintain seed vigour and quality. Therefore, moisture determination prior to seed storage is a critical step in ensuring seed storage quality and shelf life, helping to avoid problems during storage and maintaining seed vigour and quality.

Storage

Proper storage can help seed producers keep seed longer and improve seed quality and yield. We can store seeds at low temperatures, such as in cold storage or freezers. Low temperature storage helps to slow down the metabolic rate of the seed, delay seed aging, and maintain seed viability and germination.

Conclusion

Seed testing instruments play a vital role in seed quality testing. Using advanced seed testing instruments, we can accurately and quickly assess the quality of seeds and ensure that the germination rate and purity of seeds meet the standard requirements. The continuous innovation and development of seed testing instruments will further promote the development of the seed industry and provide better support for agricultural production. They will make an important contribution to seed quality control and the sustainable development of the planting industry.