A practical coverage of the principles of producing seeds for the main agricultural crops, this book emphasises producing optimal quality seed, and applies to small and large scale farms worldwide. Cereals such as wheat, rice, barley, rye and maize are covered along with pulses, legumes, oil seed rape and soybean. The coverage includes principles of production such as pollination, agronomy issues such as site selection and cultivar purity, seed processing, drying and storage. A focus on global food security is maintained throughout. It is suitable for researchers and students in agriculture an.

Seed is common fundamental to the production of all crops. Though many books have been written about the importance of using seed which is viable and free from weed seeds and diseases. The necessity is felt for the need to preserve the generic quality of seed during multiplications. Wigh the production of ever more sophisticated cultivars the work of the seed producer becomes of increasing importance. High seed yields are not enough in temselves and we need to arrange production in such a way that the qualities which give each cultivar a special place in agricultural production are preserved from one generation to the next. The book mainly emphasis on the precutions which the seed producer should take to ensure the production of good quality seed in the widest sense. The author studied the various problems, beginning with the definition of a cultivar and ending with stored seed ready for planting. This book is essentially practical, contins enough basic information to enable reader to understand the reasons behind the management practices which are descibed. It is hoped that the book will be useful to those who are involved in agricultural education, crop production into seed production, to extnesion workers and administration in seed programmers and to the practical seed producers.

A practical coverage of the principles of producing seeds for the main agricultural crops, this book emphasises producing optimal quality seed, and applies to small and large scale farms worldwide. Cereals such as wheats, rice, barley, rye and maize are covered along with pulses, legumes, oil seed rape and soybean. Coverage includes principles of production such as pollination, agronomy issues such as site selection and cultivar purity, seed processing, drying and storage. A focus on global food security is maintained throughout.

Objects and methods of seed production; Herbage seed production; Sugar-beet seed production; Cereal-seed production; Soya bean and plant attion crop seed production; Seed quality and vigour.

This handbook covers a whole range of issues relating to local seed supply systems, including participatory plant breeding, and both technical and practical information on seed production and variety maintenance. It suggests new approaches and methods to support on-farm seed production by small-scale farmers in developing countries. The first part of the book describes the functioning of local seed systems and discusses their strengths, limitations and possibilities for improvement. The authors discuss in detail issues of genetic diversity and in-situ conservation, farmers' rights and legislation. The cases presented here illustrate the functioning of local seed systems and experiences with improving them. The second part contains technical information on seed production, selection, storage and distribution, and varietal maintenance and improvement of different groups of important food crops, which can be applied and implemented at the level of small-scale farming. The third part contains practical guidelines about how on researchers and agriculturalists might carry out surveys to investigate local seed systems and their limitations, and how they can involve interested farmers in practical experimentation to improve their crop seed. This book will be of great value and interest to people who work directly with farmers, including extension agents, national and international NGOs, and farmers' cooperative workers.

Plant breeders continue to make significant advances in developing high yield ing, adaptable, disease-free crops. These advances, however, are not realized until an efficient seed production system is in place that rapidly increases geneti cally superior crops and makes them available to the consumer in large quantities at a reasonable cost. Successful seed production requires seed to be genetically pure, free of admixtures, and able to establish rapidly a uniform stand. Seed production is a complex process. Rigorous production criteria are followed by both seed producer and seed companies to ensure that high-quality seed is produced and marketed. These criteria become even more stringent in hybrid seed production. This volume identifies the factors most critical in a successful seed production operation. The fundamental considerations common to all seed crops are established in Part I, Principles of Seed Production. From this founda tion, the practices of seed production are provided in detail in Part II, Seed Production of Specific Crops.