Seed Processing
- Seed processing is the process of removal of undesirable materials (weed seed, other crop seed and inert matter), drying, testing, bagging and storing of seed.
- Seed processing improves the physical quality of the seed.
- The equipment like Sheller or thresher, dryer, cleaner, grader, gravity separator, tester, bag closer, set of screens, heat sealers etc are normally required to establish a small seed processing plant.
Advantages of seed processing
– Uniformity in planting, germination and maturity due to proper sizing of seeds.
– Improvement in seed marketing due to upgrading of seed quality.
– Prevention of spread of weeds.
– Protection from seed borne diseases.
– Reduction in seed losses by lowering moisture content and foreign materials from seed.
Principles of seed processing
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Physical difference |
Suitable machineries |
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Seed size – varied from small to bold |
Air screen cleaner cum grader |
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Density- ill filled, immature to well matured light weight to dense seed |
Specific gravity separator |
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Shape – round to oval and different shapes |
Spiral separator |
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Surface texture – smooth to wrinkled and rough |
Roll mill / dodder mill |
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Colour of the seed – light color to dark color |
Electronic color sorter |
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Conductivity of seed – low to high |
Electronic separator |
- first phase consists of scalping, debearding, hulling, shelling or threshing and any other operations necessary to make the seed flow more readily through cleaners and elevators.
- The second phase includes removal of inert matter, weed seeds, other crop seeds and broken seeds that are larger or smaller than the normal size of seed. This is done by the air screen cleaner but may include one or two basic machines.
- After desired purity is obtained, the seed enter the final processing phase- drying, treating and bagging.