Exercise 2 Identification of seeds and recording the test weight An agronomist must have identification of seeds of different field

crops so as to determine genuineness of seeds or purely desired seeds for producing crops. Useful clues for identification of seeds are usually the shape, size, colour and seed surface characters. Seed surfaces vary from smooth and glossy to dull or rough and surface irregularities like pitting groves, etc. Test weight is defined as the weight of 1000 seeds. This is one of the important characters, which determine the yield of a crop. As the seed size increases, the test weight also increases. If the seeds are bold, usually 100 seeds are randomly selected for recording the test weight. The weight of 100 seeds is known as seed index. In case of small seeds, normally 1000 seeds are selected at random for recording the test weight. While selecting the seeds, we have to give equal chances for smaller and bigger size seeds. Test weight is always expressed on dry weight basis, if it is expressed on fresh weight basis we have to mention their moisture percentage. Test weight enables us to work out the seed rate per unit area with a given plant population per unit area. Objective To get acquainted with identification of seeds of different cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, forages, etc. To work out the test weight Materials Electric balance with sensitivity of 0.01 g Seeds of different cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, forage, etc. Observation Sr. Crop seed Scientific name Seed color 1. Maize Zea mays Yellow orange 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Sorghum Paddy Pearlmillet Pigeon pea Mung Bean Moth Bean Cowpea Black gram Soybean Sesame Castor Groundnut Sunhemp Hy. Cotton Cluster bean Fennel Wheat Mustard Barley Fenugreek Isabgol Field Pea Chickpea Coriander Sorghum bicolor Oryza sativa Pennisetum typhoides Cajanus cajan Vigna radiata Vigna aconitifolia Vigna unguiculata Vigna mungo Glycine max Sesamum indicum Ricinus communis Arachis hypogaea Crotalaria juncea Gossypium hirsutum Cyamopsis tetragonoloba Foeniculum vulgare Triticum aestivum Brassica juncea Hordeum vulgare Trigonella foenum-graecum Plantago ovata Pisum sativum Cicer arietinum Coriandrum sativum Red-white Brown Grey Dark-red Green Chocolaty White Black-brown Cream White & black Brown white spotted Chocolaty Brown Black-brown White-brown Greenish Reddish-amber Dark brown Yellowish cream Chocolaty Reddish Bluish-green Chocolaty-brown Yellowish green

Seed shape Teeth Round Ovel-ablong Round Round Round capsule Round capsule Ovel Ovel-round Round Triangular round Ovel round Ovel round Ovel kidney Ovel Round Grooved long Ovel-round Round Oblong Recto-square Pitted ovel Round Blocky Round

Seed size Big Medium Medium Small Big Medium Medium Medium Medium Big Small Big Big Medium Big Medium Small Medium Small Medium Medium Small Big Big Medium

Test weight 260.4 36.2 21.6 34.5 110.3 38.6 34.7 39.8 37.2 88.4 2.7 258.2 240.1 34.3 140.2 34.8 7.8 41.0 5.2 43.1 15.8 3.6 215.2 140.3 13.7