Particular	Answer
Definition	Science dealing with production, processing, testing, certification, storage and marketing of quality seeds
Father of Seed Technology (India)	Dr. B. P. Pal
Objective	Production and supply of genetically pure, healthy and quality seed

Particular	Answer
Seed	Mature fertilized ovule capable of producing a new plant
Quality Seed	High genetic, physical, physiological and health quality

Component	Importance
Genetic Purity	True to variety
Physical Purity	Free from inert matter and weed seeds
Germination	High viability
Seed Health	Disease and insect free
Seed Vigour	Strong seedling growth
Moisture Content	Safe storage

Seed Class	Produced By	Tag Colour	Genetic Purity (Min)	Physical Purity (Min)
Nucleus Seed	Plant Breeder	No Tag	100%	100% (practically)
Breeder Seed	Plant Breeder	Golden Yellow	100%	98%
Foundation Seed	NSC / SSC / Approved Agency	White	99.5%	98%
Registered Seed	Registered Seed Growers / Approved Agencies	Purple (Violet)	99.0%	98%
Certified Seed	Produced from Foundation or Registered Seed	Azure Blue	99.0%	98%
Truthfully Labelled (TL) Seed	Producer / Company	Opal Green	As per notified standards	98%

Method	Purpose
Self-pollinated Crop	Maintain varietal purity
Cross-pollinated Crop	Isolation and rouging essential
Hybrid Seed Production	Controlled pollination

Particular	Answer
Definition	Removal of off-type, diseased and undesirable plants
Purpose	Maintain genetic purity

Particular	Answer
Definition	Official verification of seed quality
Conducted By	State Seed Certification Agency (SSCA)

Test	Purpose
Germination Test	Germination percentage
Purity Test	Physical purity
Moisture Test	Storage safety
Viability Test	Living seeds
Vigour Test	Seedling performance
Health Test	Disease detection

Dormancy Definition: Failure of viable seed to germinate under favourable conditions.

Methods to Break Dormancy

Method	Example / Purpose
Scarification	Hard seed coat
Stratification	Low-temperature treatment
Hot Water Treatment	Legumes
Chemical Treatment	GA3, KNO3

Treatment	Purpose
Fungicide	Disease control
Insecticide	Insect protection
Biofertilizer	Better nodulation
Biofungicide (Trichoderma)	Disease suppression

Particular	Recommendation
Moisture Content (Cereals)	8–10%
Moisture Content (Oilseeds)	7–8%
Storage Place	Cool, dry and well-ventilated
Containers	Moisture-proof containers

Term	Meaning
Germination	Emergence of normal seedling
Viability	Living ability of seed
Vigour	Seedling strength
Purity	Percentage of pure seed
Longevity	Storage life
Dormancy	Temporary failure to germinate
Isolation	Separation of seed fields
Rouging	Removal of off-types

Crop Group / Crop	Foundation (m)	Certified (m)
Rice, Wheat, Barley, Oat, Soybean, Groundnut	3 m	3 m
Gram, Pea, Mung, Urd, Cowpea, Lentil, Chickpea	10 m	5 m
Sesame	50 m / 100 m	50 m / 100 m
Pigeonpea, Linseed	200 m	100 m
Castor	300 m / 150 m	150 m / 300 m
Maize, Sorghum, Niger, Safflower	200 m / 400 m	200 m / 400 m
Sunflower	600 m	400 m
Mustard, Rapeseed	600 m / 1000 m	600 m / 1000 m
Pearl Millet	1000 m	600 m

Crop	Seed Rate (kg/ha)
Rice (Transplanted)	35–40
Rice (Direct Seeded)	60–80
Rice (SRI)	5–8
Wheat	100
Maize	18–20
Sorghum (Jowar)	8–10
Pearl Millet (Bajra)	4–5
Finger Millet (Ragi)	10–12.5
Barley / Oat	75–100

Crop	Seed Rate (kg/ha)
Chickpea (Desi)	75–100
Chickpea (Kabuli)	100–120
Pigeonpea (Arhar)	12–20
Green Gram (Mung)	20–35
Black Gram (Urd)	20–30
Cowpea	20–25
Field Pea	80–100
Lentil	50–60
Rajma	75–100
Horse Gram	25–30
Lathyrus	40–50
Moth Bean	15–18

Crop	Seed Rate (kg/ha)
Groundnut	140–160
Mustard / Rapeseed	3–5
Soybean	65–75
Sunflower / Sesame / Castor / Niger	5
Safflower	7
Linseed	25–30
Cotton (Variety)	15–20
Cotton (Hybrid)	2–3
Jute	5–7
Mesta	10–15

Crop	Seed Rate
Sugarcane	60,000–75,000 three-budded setts/ha
Berseem	20–25 kg/ha
Lucerne	15–20 kg/ha
Fodder Sorghum	35–40 kg/ha
Fodder Maize	40–50 kg/ha
Fodder Cowpea	35–45 kg/ha

Act / Rule	Year	Purpose
Seeds Act	1966	Regulates the quality of notified seeds sold in India
Seeds Rules	1968	Provides procedures for implementation of the Seeds Act
Seeds (Control) Order	1983	Regulates licensing and sale of seeds under Essential Commodities Act
PPV&FR Act	2001	Protects plant breeders’ and farmers’ rights
Biological Diversity Act	2002	Conservation and sustainable use of biological resources

Organization	Established	Headquarters	Major Function
ICAR	1929	New Delhi	Agricultural research and education
National Seeds Corporation (NSC)	1963	New Delhi	Production and distribution of quality seeds
State Seed Certification Agency (SSCA)	1969 onwards	State Headquarters	Seed certification
Central Seed Committee (CSC)	1966	New Delhi	Advises Central Government on seed matters
Central Seed Laboratory (CSL)	1968	Varanasi, UP	Central seed testing laboratory
Central Seed Certification Board (CSCB)	1972	New Delhi	Coordinates seed certification standards
PPV&FRA	2005	New Delhi	Registration and protection of plant varieties

Question	Answer
Father of Seed Technology (India)	Dr. B. P. Pal
First seed class	Nucleus Seed
Last seed class	Certified Seed
Tag colour of Breeder Seed	Golden Yellow
Tag colour of Foundation Seed	White
Tag colour of Certified Seed	Azure Blue
Tag colour of TL Seed	Opal Green
Seed Act	1966
Seed Rules	1968
Removal of off-types	Rouging
Prevention of cross-pollination	Isolation Distance
Best moisture for cereal storage	8–10%
Best moisture for oilseed storage	7–8%
Seed multiplication chain	Nucleus → Breeder → Foundation → Certified
Headquarters of NSC	New Delhi

Question	Answer
Tag colour of breeder seed	Golden Yellow
Tag colour of foundation seed	White
Tag colour of certified seed	Azure Blue
Seed Act was enacted in	1966
Seed Rules were framed in	1968
First stage in seed production	Nucleus Seed
Last stage in seed multiplication	Certified Seed
Who removes off-type plants?	Rouging
Purpose of isolation distance	Maintain genetic purity
Headquarters of NSC	New Delhi

Topic	Remember
Father of Seed Technology (India)	Dr. B. P. Pal
Seed Multiplication Chain	Nucleus → Breeder → Foundation → Certified
Breeder Seed Tag	Golden Yellow
Foundation Seed Tag	White
Certified Seed Tag	Azure Blue
Truthfully Labelled Seed Tag	Opal Green
Seed Act	1966
Seeds Rules	1968
ICAR Established	1929
NSC Established	1963
Central Seed Laboratory (CSL)	1968, Varanasi
PPV&FR Act	2001