Crop seed is a living material and its quality declines during storage. Precautions should be taken during storage to reduce on the decline in quality.
The quality of seed during storage mainly depends on moisture content. If seed is not well dried before storage, it becomes soft, hot and moist and this will affect the level of disease and insect infestation and this in turn will cause seed quality to decline. Using more quality seed helps reduce the seed rate needed and will give more yield the following season.
Quality seed
To have good seed, select good panicles from the field and harvest them separately. Thresh them and dry them on a table then place them in a container place on a table. Wash clean and dry the seed containers before using them. The containers used for storage include plastic pots, tins, containers and drums. If pots are used, they are painted on the inside and outside with vanish, tar or used cooking oil to prevent the passage of air through the container.
Packaging and storage
After proper drying, place the seeds in a container up to the top. If you do not have enough rice, puffed rice or dried sand can be used o fill up the air space left. You can also put a burning candle inside the container and cover to use up all he oxygen in the container causing the pests inside to die. At the bottom and top of the container, you can put dried tobacco or neem leaves to control pests.
Keep the containers off the ground to minimize mould and pests.
