Answer:
Importance
The importance of seed testing was realized more than 100 years ago for assured planting values. The adulteration of vegetable seeds by stone dust which was packed in some parts of the world particularly in Europe.
Seed testing has been developed to aid agriculture to avoid some of the hazards of crop production by furnishing the needed information about different quality attributes viz., purity, moisture, germination, vigour and health.
Quality control of seed depends on the different seed testing protocols which determine the genuineness of the cultivar.
Testing of seed to evaluate the planting value and the authenticity of the certified lot.
Seed testing is required to assess the seed quality attributes of the seed lots which have to be offered for sale.
These quality attributes are seed moisture content, germination and vigour, physical and genetic purity, freedom from seed borne diseases and insect infestation. In India, seed testing is done mainly for moisture, germination and physical purity of seeds.
Standard seed testing procedures for the evaluation of the seeds were developed by ISTA. It is obligatory on the part of the seed analyst to follow rules prescribed by 1STA (1STA, 1985) if the seed is moving to the International trade.
The seed testing procedures which are described below are based mostly on the international rules because most of our rules (Chalam et al.. 1967) are based on, 1STA, 1996. Economic yield of a crop depends on the quality of seeds which can be evaluated by seed testing (1STA, 1996).
The testing of seed quality is carried out on seed samples drawn from seed lot to be used for cultivation. The quantity of seed sample taken for testing in laboratory is minute compared to that of seed lot it represents.
