SEED QUALITY STATUS OF CLUSTERBEAN SEED PRODUCED BY FARMERS’ AS WELL AS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN HARYANA
AXAY KUMAR, S. S. JAKHAR*, O. S. DAHIYA AND R. C. PUNIA
Department of Seed Science & Technology,
CCS, Haryana Agricultural University
Hisar-125004
*(E-mail: satbirsinghjakhar@yahoo.co.in)
(Received: 31December, 2012, Accepted: 26 July, 2013)
SUMMARY
Fifty seed samples (24 farmers’ saved seed, 6 public and 20 private seed sectors) of two guar varieties viz., HG-365 and HG-563 were collected from guar growing areas of the state and analyzed for quality tests. The germination (%), seed moisture content (%) and physical purity (%) of public sector samples ranged from 84 to 92, 8.9 to 9.0 and 98 to 100 per cent, respectively while in the samples collected from private sector ranged from 82 to 85, 9.1 to 9.2 and 98 to 99 per cent, respectively. In farmers’ saved seed, these parameters ranged from 72 to 85, 9.1 to 10 and 85 to 95 per cent, respectively. None of the samples from public, private and farmers saved seed was found infested with the diseases and insect pests. The results revealed that the quality of the samples produced by public and private seed organizations was good & healthy and met Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards (IMSCS) while the quality in respect of farmers saved seed was marginally lower than the IMSCS in terms of germination, physical purity and moisture content.
Key words : Clusterbean, seed quality, purity, germination, vigour and health