Seed Quality
Good quality seed reduces the required seeding rate and produces strong, healthy seedlings, resulting in a more uniform crop with higher yields.
Good seed is:
- Clean, free of stones, dirt, small soil clods and weed seed;
- Genetically pure having grains of only one variety; and
- Healthy having full big grains of the same colour with no cracks or spotting.
Good quality seed can be either bought as foundation or certified seed, or the seed produced by the farmer in his own farm
Produce high-quality seed
- Select a level field with well-maintained bunds having easy access.
- Use clean, pure, true to type and healthy seed.
- Do a float test on the seed before planting and remove all seeds which float.
- Use good management practices by planting on time, applying fertilizer, weedicides, weeding before 21 days after establishment and do not let weed seeds mix with the grain seeds.
- Rogue the fields by removing all rice plants that clearly look different during the vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages.
- Harvest at full maturity when 80–85% of the grains are straw coloured or at 20–22% moisture content.
- Thresh and dry quickly after harvest.
- Store seed safely and label containers or bags with variety name and date of harvest.
