SEED CERTIFICATION

Comparing seed certification standards Of Food Legumes by different organization in the world: 

Comparing seed certification standards Of Food Legumes by different organization in the world Zia, Kaiser and Imran

Legumes : 

Legumes

Legume crops: 

Legume crops The legumes are all members of a single plant family, the Fabaceae . Beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa, clover, and more. Why they are important: Nitrogen fixation Most important source of protein in the plant world. Crop rotation Major part of daily food as a meal e.g. faba bean, chick pea and soya bean etc. Livestock feed (forage crops) e.g. Alfa alfa OR red clover

Different working bodies in world: 

Different working bodies in world Two types a- Working at international level b- Working at national level For example At international level 1- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2- Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA). 3- International seed federation (ISF). 4- International Safe Transit Association (ISTA). At national level 1- California crop improvement association (CCIA). 2- Australian Seeds Authority (ASA).

Different working bodies in world: 

Different working bodies in world Other Examples The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Bihar state seed certification agency India. Food and environment research agency (FERA) UK. ICARDA.

Focus of the world today: 

Focus of the world today To be a good seed working with a seed certifying agency, you should keep in mind what is in focus of the world today. For example 1- The ISF World Seed Congress 2012 It will provide the international seed community members with a unique opportunity to share expertise and information and to discuss the most recent advances in this field. 2- 2 nd world seed conference 2009.

Healthy seed: 

Healthy seed Use of disease-free seed lots Zoning production in areas with low disease pressure Off-season production Isolation of fields Roguing diseased plants Spraying to control diseases Field inspection and seed testing Efficient cleaning of seed lots Chemical seed treatment.

Seed classes: 

Seed classes Seed production is based on a limited generation system in order to minimize the risk of contamination. The fewer the number of generations, the lower the chances of contamination. However, regardless of the number of generations, all certified seed originates from one or more generations of a known source called ‘breeder seed’. Different seed certification schemes use different names for generations or seed classes.

Seed classes: 

Seed classes

Interrelationship : 

Interrelationship

Variety maintenance : 

Variety maintenance Lentil maintenance plot with two off type rows Lentil variety maintenance plot at ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria

Variety maintenance : 

Variety maintenance Chick pea variety maintenance plot at ICARDA Chick pea maintenance plot with one off type row

Faba bean: 

Faba bean

Field Inspection : 

Field Inspection Time: When potential contamination is likely to happen and you can identify contaminants. Number of inspections: At least two inspections should be made. 1 st at flowering . 2 nd at near maturity. Extra inspection for Ascochyta blight should be made for faba and chick pea at vegetative growth. Special inspection for viruses in faba bean should be made at the six-leaf stage. Inspector should make sure that the field standards have been met clearly.

Field Inspection: 

Field Inspection Field overview: In field overview, the inspector walks through the field to see the entire crop area. He/she will determine if the field is uniform in quality, and assesses the following: Varietal identity. Isolation distance. Previous cropping. Infection by plant diseases, including diseases that are not seed-borne. Infestation by weed plants, including weeds not in the standards. Cultural practices. General crop stand. Yield estimate. The inspector should also count the number of plants to determine the plant population (density per m2 or per m row length).

Field Inspection Report: 

Field Inspection Report

Key Elements for Quality Seed: 

Key Elements for Quality Seed Site selection to find suitable areas for seed production Field selection to restrict volunteer plants and noxious weeds from preceding crops. Isolation from sources of contamination Control of pollination to prevent out-crossing Roguing to remove contaminants Limiting the number of generations for multiplication Cleanliness of farm machinery during planting, Harvesting and transport Cleanliness of equipment during cleaning, treatment, transport and storage Seed production through specialized contract growers Implementing quality assurance measures.

Seed quality standards: 

Seed quality standards

ICARDA: 

ICARDA

Field isolation: 

Field isolation “Isolation is the growing of a seed crop away from any source of contamination, whether genetic, mechanical, or pathological”. Minimum isolation distances usually depend on: Field size. Pollination habit. Direction and speed of wind presence of natural barriers. Large fields are usually less liable to contamination than smaller ones, and the center portions are less susceptible than the borders. Therefore, larger isolation distances are required for smaller fields of early generation materials than for later generation certified seed. Faba bean: 35% out crossing (bees are the primary pollinators). Outcrossing decreases: From 17% at 0.9 m to 1.2% at 92 m, 0.6% at 184 m.

Isolations distance: 

Isolations distance

Isolations distance for Vicia faba: 

Isolations distance for Vicia faba

Roguing : 

Roguing Gregg et al., 1990 defines Roguing: “Roguing is the systematic examination of seed fields and removal of undesirable plants” Off types and other varieties. Other crop species. Weeds whose seeds cannot be separated by cleaning. Parasitic weeds such as Orobanche and Cuscata spp. Plants infected with seed-borne fungal and virus diseases.

Roguing: 

Roguing Roguing should be done at an appropriate growth stage of the crop. For example: In Lentil morphological characters used for roguing (plant height, vegetation color, fruit characteristics) are not easy to distinguish during late flowering, pod setting, and maturity. At these stages the crop stand is too dense for a roguing crew to distinguish individual plants. Thus, roguing should be done at flowering, although a crop is usually rogued more than once.

Quality assurance: 

Quality assurance

Clean chickpea seed production field at vegetative and flowering stage : 

Clean chickpea seed production field at vegetative and flowering stage

Diseases and Insect Pests: 

Diseases and Insect Pests

Harvesting : 

Harvesting Legumes are harvested at full maturity (moisture level 12% or more) Faba bean: seed harvested between 51% and 24% moisture content showed a decline in the proportion of broken seeds (from 19% to 2%) and an increase in germination (from 48% to 92%) with decrease in moisture content. Chick pea: you should delay harvesting as mus = ch as possible. Lentil should be harvested at 100% pod maturity, because pods dehisce and drop if harvesting is delayed, resulting in up to 20% seed losses. Delaying harvesting by one week reduced germination by 20%.

Seed cleaning: 

Seed cleaning After harvesting: Seed processing: “It includes all steps involved in the preparation of harvested seed for marketing, like drying, cleaning, upgrading, treating and packaging”. The main undesirable materials are: Inert matter such as plant parts, soil particles and stones Weed seeds Seeds of other crops Seeds of other varieties Immature, shriveled, broken, damaged, and deteriorated seeds of the same variety.

Seed cleaning: 

Seed cleaning Seed cleaning is done based on: Size (length, width and thickness). Weight (same size and shape may differ). Shape (spiral separators). Texture is based on the seed coat smoothness or roughness (Belt grader are used for texture separation). Color

Principles of seed cleaning: 

Principles of seed cleaning Automated large scale operations as compared to traditional one. Following are the principles of separation Screen separation. Air separation . Cylinder separation. Density separations. Picking belt can be used to visually separate undesirable.

Machines used for cleaning: 

Machines used for cleaning

Machines used for cleaning: 

Machines used for cleaning Deck Pre Cleaner is suitable for cleaning of cereals, grain, legumes and fine seeds to the highest standard. The deck pre cleaner machine separate over size, under size and light impurities from the feed. There are two-aspiration systems one for feeding material and second for cleaned material. Blower is provided on the top of machine.

Machines used for cleaning: 

Machines used for cleaning Indented cylinder for length separation.

Machines used for cleaning: 

Machines used for cleaning Air separator with three layers.

Machines used for cleaning: 

Machines used for cleaning

Seed Laboratory: 

Seed Laboratory

Seed treatment: 

Seed treatment A small mechanical batch seed treater A partial view of commercial seed treater

Legume seed Storage : 

Legume seed Storage 1- Short-term storage: Generally, seeds are stored after harvest until the next planting season (up to a maximum of nine months). Storage conditions between 30°C, 50% RH and 20°C, 60% RH are satisfactory. 2- Medium-term storage: At 30°C and 40% RH for 9–10% moisture content. At 20°C and 50% RH for 10–12% moisture content. At 10°C and 60% RH for 12–14% moisture content. 3- Long-term storage: Breeder seed usually, Storage at 10°C and 45% RH (9.5–10.5% moisture content) is recommended for 4–6 years.

Managing seed storage: 

Managing seed storage Keep the seed lot identity. Keep accurate records Apply a first-in first-out (FIFO) system. Prepare regular reports. Monitor insect infestation. Monitor seed quality.

Taking sample for laboratory testing: 

Taking sample for laboratory testing

References : 

References ICARDA’s manual for Seed Production of Cool-Season Food Legumes (Faba bean, Chickpea, and Lentil). It follows OECD and AOSCA schemes. Seed certification rules AGWEST Plant Laboratories department of agriculture and food, Govt of Western Australia. Australian Seed Authority. Indian board for seed