Seed technology questions.

Many serious plant diseases arise from infection carried by seed. Briefly discuss the effects of seed-borne diseases in agriculture.

Seed testing health testing and certification is one of the strategies to prevent development and spread of seed borne-diseases. List any five methods you know that are used for testing seed-borne diseases.

Discuss the various pre-disposing factors of seed to storage fungi.

What is on-farm seed production? Discuss the disadvantages we often hear about OFSP in developing countries.

You are provided with a sample of rice seed that is mixed with seed from other species and inert matter. The total weight of the sample is 1.5 kg. After separating out seed from other species, the weight remained at 1.25kg. You then proceeded to remove the inert matter and found that the weight of inert matter was 0.05 kg.

Calculate the following:

1. Analytical purity in percentage
2. Species purity based on weight to weight basis
3. Give inferences with respect to your seed sample

Write brief explanation on how deterioration of improved crop varieties can be attributed to :

1. Selective influence of diseases
2. Development variation or genetic drift
3. Minor genetic variation
4. Breeding technique

Proper drying ensures longevity of seeds prior to their for plantng and depends on drying temperature , moisture content of the seeds and drying time.

1. State the different factors that influence drying time
2. What sources of heat can be used for the drying?

Imbibition of water is the most important process towards germination of seeds. Discuss the role of the proccess in germination.

1. Explain the importance of seed vigour and the different factors that influence vigour of seeds of field crop plants.
2. Define seed vigour

1. Describe the different certification systems that are used in an ideal seed business control
2. Seed promotional activities are as important as seed multiplication of  released crop varieties. Briefly discuss how seed promotional activities can be carried out.