📝 Seed Certification

Seed Certification

• “Seed certification is a legally sanctioned system for quality control of seed multiplication and Production” and which consists the control measures are:
  • Field inspection: At the time of growing a crop for seed production purpose. The data should be obtained on trueness to varietals purity, isolation of seed crop to prevent crops- pollination, mechanical admixtures and diseases dissemination, objectionable weeds and admixtures.
  • Supervision on agricultural operations i.e. intercultural operations, harvesting, storage, transport and processing etc. for identity and quality of lots.
  • Sample inspection: For quality and to maintain genetic purity, a lab test of representative samples drawn by the S.C.A. for determining, percentage of germination, moisture content, weed seed content, admixture and purity.
  • Bulk inspection: For checking homogeneity of the bulk as compared with the sample inspected.
  • Control Plot Testing: Samples drawn from the source seed and the final seed produced can be grown in the field along with standard samples of the variety.
  • The purpose of seed certification is to maintain and make available high quality seed and propagating materials of notified plant varieties.
• Seed certification involves 6 phases
  • Receipt and scrutiny of application
  • Verification of seed source
  • Field inspection to verify field standards
  • Post-harvest seed inspection
  • Seed testing to verify seed standards
  • Issue of certificate, tagging, labeling and sealing

National Seed Corporation (NSC)

👉🏻 NSC was registered in 1963 having two main objectives:

• To promote development of a seed industry in India.
• To produce and supply foundation seeds of various crops.

State Seed Corporation (SSC)

• SSC’s are chiefly concerned with production and supply of certified seed.
• To reduce the work load of NSC and to stimulate a faster growth of industry, SSCs were established in view of great success of and the impact made by the Tarai Development Corporation (TDC), Pantnagar.

State Seed Farm Corporation (SSFC)

• Set up during 1969, which mainly concerned with production and supply of certified seed.

State Seed Certification Agency (SSCA)

• Responsible for seed certification.
• SSCA makes field inspections and conducts seed tests required for seed certification.

Seed Village

• A village, wherein trained group of farmers are involved in production of seeds of various crops and cater to the needs of themselves, fellow farmers of the village and farmers of neighboring villages in appropriate time and at affordable cost is called “a seed village”. Concept
• Organizing seed production in cluster (or) compact area
• Replacing existing local varieties with new high yielding varieties.
• Increasing the seed production
• To meet the local demand, timely supply and reasonable cost
• Self-sufficiency and self-reliance of the village
• Increasing the seed replacement rate Features
• Seed is available at the door steps of farms at an appropriate time
• Seed availability at affordable cost even lesser than market price
• Increased confidence among the farmers about the quality because of known source of production
• Producer and consumer are mutually benefited
• Facilitates fast spread of new cultivars of different kinds