Seed Pelleting Research Articles

Experimental Study on the Pelleting and Coating Performance of Red Clover Seeds

This study aimed to optimize the pelleting and coating process for red clover seeds, addressing the issue of low pelleting success rates. Through theoretical analysis and experimental research, coating pan fill rate, powder supply quantity, and pelleting time were identified as key factors influencing the pelleting success rate. Single-factor experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of these parameters on the quality of red clover seed pelleting and coating. Based on these results, orthogonal trials were carried out, and response surface analysis was employed to reveal the influence patterns and interactions of each factor. The research results indicate that the factors affecting the pelleting success rate, ranked in order of importance, are coating pan fill rate, pelleting time, and powder supply quantity. Through mathematical model optimization, the optimal combination of process parameters was determined to be coating pan fill rate of 35.9%, powder supply quantity of 160.2 g, and pelleting time of 6.9 s. Under these conditions, a pelleting success rate of 94.3% was achieved in validation experiments. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for optimizing the pelleting and coating process of red clover seeds, which is significant for improving seed coating quality and promoting red clover cultivation.

Effect of Seed Coating and Pelleting on Germination, Plant Establishment and Seed Yield in Cumin (<i>Cuminum cyminum</i> L.)

An investigation to study the effect of seed coating and pelleting on germination, plant establishment, and seed yield of cumin was conducted at ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, during the Rabi season in the year 2016 and 2017. The field experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design, comprising 18 treatments in three replications. Results revealed that, pelleting of seeds with lignite + Azospirillum significantly increased per cent field emergence (91.5%), plant height, umbels per plant, seeds per plant and seed yield as compared to other treatments. But seed yield parameters viz. days required for 50% t field emergence, plant height at harvesting time, days required for 50% flowering and seed test weight did not show significant variation with other treatments. Furthermore, an experiment on the storability of pelleted seeds in terms of germination percentage was conducted in a laboratory, and it was found that seeds pelleted with lignite and Azospirillum recorded the highest germination percentage (67%) at the end of a 6-month storage period. Overall, seed pelleting treatments with lignite + Azospirillum improved crop establishment, growth, and seed yield, and the pelleted seeds can also be stored for 6 months under ambient conditions.

Marigold Seed Pelleting with Plant Nutrients on Germination, Growth, Storage and Flower Yields

Background: Seed pelleting, a method involving seed coatings to enlarge seed size, is advantageous for marigold seeds because it improves water utilization efficiency during germination. Furthermore, the incorporation of vital plant nutrients into seeds fosters germination and growth, facilitating accelerated growth and increased yield in marigold plants. Methods: Marigold seeds were pelleted with NH4NO3 at rates of 0.048, 0.096 and 0.192 g, NaH2PO4.H2O at rates of 0.064, 0.128 and 0.256 g and KCl at rates of 0.013, 0.026 and 0.052 g. Growth was determined after incubation in 4 × 6 inch bags for 56 days. Storage longevity was determined after incubation in aluminum foil bags under controlled (15°C, 50% RH) and ambient conditions (27±2°C, 70% RH) for 6 months. Result: Seeds pelleted with NH4NO3, NaH2PO4.H2O and KCl demonstrated superior germination rates and germination speed. NaH2PO4.H2O pelleting led to increased shoot dry weight. The use of 0.256 g NaH2PO4.H2O resulted in the highest germination rate over 6 months. Pelleting with all three nutrients resulted in higher plants, particularly 0.256 g NaH2PO4.H2O, which led to more flowers per plant. Therefore, pelleting seeds with 0.256 g NaH2PO4.H2O is recommended to optimize the quality of marigold seeds.

Germination and Vigour Enhancement through Combined Application of Osmo-priming and Organic Seed Pelleting in Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Germination and Vigour Enhancement through Combined Application of Osmo-priming and Organic Seed Pelleting in Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Effect of seed pelleting on growth, yield and seed quality parameters of black gram

Seed pelleting involves encasing seeds in inert material using carefully chosen powder and liquid. This method facilitates enhancing seed placement, sowing, germination, and shields plants from various biotic and abiotic stresses. In the context of Indian agriculture, pulse production faces significant challenges due to low production and productivity. Therefore, seed pelleting holds immense promise in addressing these limitations. This study underscores the significance of seed pelleting concerning growth, yield, and quality parameters. The findings concluded that seeds treated with pelleting exhibited superior growth attributes, such as increased plant height, branch numbers, and higher dry matter production. Additionally, seeds pelleted with rhizobium displayed elevated levels of chlorophyll ‘a’, ‘b’, and total chlorophyll content. Furthermore, rhizobium-treated pelleted seeds demonstrated the highest yield compared to other treatments and the control group.

Preparation ofhydrogels based on natural polymers for pelleting of sugar beet seeds

One of humanity`s important problems is the lack of water in arid regions. One of the ways to solve the water shortage problem is the use of seed pelleting technology. The polymer film coating contributes to the effective maintenance of their quality during storage, including humidity regulation. The creation of effective coatings based on biodegradable natural polymers will help preserve natural resources and prevent environmental pollution. The purpose of this work is the radiation synthesis and characterization of hydrogels based on natural and synthetic polymers and the search for optimal conditions for coating the seeds with the resulting polymers. The methodology of the work includes the radiation synthesis of hydrogels, physicochemical characterization by gravimetry, germination, and germination energy study of coated seeds. Results and discussion. Hydrogels based on chitosan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, starch, and agar-agar were obtained using the radiation. The optimal parameters are 25 kGy irradiation dose and 5wt.% starch concentration. The presence of agar-agar in the hydrogel composition and the increase of irradiation dose from 15 to 45 kGy boost the gel fraction yield. The work investigated the water-holding capacity of pelleted seeds and the process of water desorption from the polymer shell. It has been established that the polymer shell around the seed can retain water in the early stages of its development. Seeds coated in two layers retain moisture 7 times longer compared to uncoated samples. Conclusion. These results can be used to manage seed performance potential and subsequent yield, including improving seed quality and nutrient delivery.

Cassava, Mandacaru, and Glue as Adhesive Agents in the Coating of Heirloom Fava Bean Seeds

The seed coating technique, while not recent, has garnered attention due to its commercial implications. This process has grown in significance and feasibility, imparting greater added value to seeds, particularly in an increasingly competitive and regulated market environment, notably within the realm of heirloom seeds. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the impacts caused by the use of adhesive agents, including mandacaru extract, polyvinyl acetate-based glue, and cassava gum, in the pelleting process of heirloom fava bean seeds with rock dust. The experiment was conducted in the Phytotechnics Laboratory, situated within the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences at the Federal University of Alagoas. In the coating process, MB-4 rock powder was employed. The analyzed parameters encompassed water content, thousand seed weight, first germination count, germination percentage, germination speed index, mean germination time, germination uncertainty, primary root length/aboveground portion, and seedling dry mass. Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue and cassava gum proved to be the most efficient adhesive agents in the pelleting of fava bean seeds with rock powder.

A novel approach using multispectral imaging for rapid development of seed pellet formulations to mitigate drought stress in alfalfa

Seed pelleting is an advanced technology that can improve seed sowing and germination under abiotic stresses such as drought, promoting sustainable agriculture. However, the development of conventional seed pelleting formulations is often characterized by prolonged timelines and significant labor costs. This study aimed to accelerate the development of water retention agents (WRAs) pelleting formulations for alfalfa seed under drought stress using multispectral imaging technology. The efficacy of these formulations was evaluated under drought stress conditions by measuring seedling physiological characteristics and collecting multispectral images. Results showed that WRA-pelleting formulations with HS0.5, BS1, and BS2 outperformed other WRA-pelleting formulations in terms of catalase, seedling length, superoxide dismutase, proline, and shoot length by principal component analysis. Additionally, backpropagation neural network, support vector machine, and random forest models were employed to identify various WRA-pelleting formulations using multispectral data from seedlings and cotyledons. All three models had an accuracy above 0.9 based on multispectral data from cotyledons, with support vector machine achieving the highest accuracy of 100%. The SHapley Additive exPlanations method was applied to explain the prediction mechanism of the support vector machine model and identified important features such as 970, 850, 880, 940, and 780 nm. Significant correlations were found between spectra and physiological indicators such as antioxidant, chlorophyll, and drought stress. In conclusion, our new approach has great potential to reduce the time and cost of developing seed pelleting formulations for mitigating drought stress.

Use of brown sugar adhesive adhesive agents based on, palm and alobe extracts in the coating of crean bean seeds with rock dust

Beans are extremely important for the Brazilian economy, are part of the diet, are very nutritious and have great commercial value, with high production due to their ability to adapt to different edaphoclimatic conditions. Traditional peoples produce seeds of local varieties, called creole seeds. They are resistant because they retain relevant characteristics left as an inheritance from their ancestors, who, free of charge, provided an environmental service for the preservation and perpetuation of this genetic heritage. Based on this, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the adherent agents palm extract, aloe vera extract and sugar syrup in the pelleting of creole bean seeds (Minguita) with rock dust. The work was carried out in the Laboratory of Phytotechnics belonging to the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences of the Federal University of Alagoas. As adherent agents were used: water, palm extract, aloe vera extract and sugar solution. Rock dust (MB-4) was used for the coating. The evaluated parameters were: water content, weight of a thousand seeds, first germination count, germination, germination speed index, average germination time, germination uncertainty, length of root and aerial part and dry mass of seedlings. Palm is the most efficient adherent agent in the pelleting of bean seeds with rock dust, and can therefore be recommended for sustainable pelleting.

Adhering Agents in Maize Seed Pelletizing

The maize very important role in the Brazilian economy because it has a high commercial value, having great production due to its ability to adapt to different edaphoclimatic conditions. Family farming produces seeds from local varieties, called creole seeds. This type of seed is resistant because it keeps relevant characteristics left as an inheritance from its ancestors, who, free of charge, performed an environmental service for the preservation and perpetuation of this genetic heritage. Therefore, the work had to evaluate the effect of the adherent agents palm extract, aloe vera extract and sugar solution in the pelleting of creole corn seeds with rock dust. The work was carried out in the Plant Propagation Laboratory belonging to the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences of the Federal University of Alagoas. As adherent agents were used: water, palm extract, aloe vera extract and sugar solution. Rock dust (MB-4) was used for the coating. The evaluated parameters were: water content, weight of a thousand seeds, first germination count, germination, germination speed index, average germination time, germination uncertainty, length and dry mass of the root and aerial part. Palm extract is the most efficient adherent agent for pelletizing corn seeds with rock dust.

Pelleting with superabsorbent, chitosan, and phosphorus fertilizer as a new method to improve growth, yield, and physiological attributes of potato mini-tuber

Seed pelleting is a technique of covering seeds with adhesive agents to improve seed performance and plant establishment while reducing production costs. To evaluate the responses of potato superelite minitubers to different pelleting treatments both qualitatively and quantitatively, a 2-year experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran during 2018 and 2019. Experimental treatments included 17 different combinations of zeolite (ZE) or cocopeat (CO) fillers, coating (SC) or soil application (SS) of triple superphosphate, superabsorbent polymer (SP), and chitosan (CH). The results showed a significant effect of pelleting on yield, physiological, and qualitative traits. The highest fresh and dry tuber weight belonged to SS + ZE treatment, which showed 50.6 and 49.0% increase compared to the control treatment (without pelleting), respectively. Pelleting minitubers by ZE + SS had the highest fresh tuber and biological yield (23.6 and 28.0 ton.ha-1, respectively), which showed an increase of 61.0 and 59.2%, compared to the no pelleting treatment. Most pelleting treatments increased the leaf proline content and activity of the antioxidant enzymes. The highest peroxidase activity and lowest catalase activity (16.1 and 29.6 U.mg protein-1.min, respectively) were observed in the CO+SC+CH treatment. Co-application of ZE, SC, and SP resulted in the highest protein, nitrate, and starch content. In addition, minituber pelleting with ZE+SS+SP increased methionine content significantly by 31.51% compared to the control. In general, the co-application of triple superphosphate, SP, and ZE increased the tuber yield and quality traits. Finally, the use of CH with these compounds resulted in improving physiological characteristics.

Cumulative Effect of Botanical Seed Pelleting and Foliar Spray on Morpho Physiological, Leaf Chlorophyll, Gas Exchange and Yield Parameters in Black gram

Background: Black gram is one of the important pulse crops of the world and India is the major producer and consumer of pulses in the world. One of the main reason for low productivity of pulses is that they are cultivated mostly in areas with low soil moisture and poor soil fertility. In order to overcome such adverse conditions, low-cost techniques like seed hardening/pelleting are preferred. Seed pelleting provides package of nutrients that influences seed or soil at the seed-soil interface. Since the cost involved is very less, an attempt has been made to study the effect of botanical seed pelleting and foliar spary on growth and yield parameters in black gram cv. CO 6. Methods: Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the cumulative effect of botanical seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150g kg-1 and foliar spray of prosopis and moringa leaf powders with different concentrations (2%, 4%, 6% and 8%) on morpho physiological, leaf chlorophyll, gas exchange and yield parameters in black gram cv. CO 6 in the study. The observations on morpho physiological, leaf chlorophyll, gas exchange and yield parameters were recorded, statistically analysed and discussed here.Result: From the results, it was found that among the treatments, seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150 g kg-1 + foliar spray of prosopis leaf powder @ 6% recorded higher morpho physiological parameters viz., plant height (48.73 cm), number of branches plant-1 (8.78), dry matter production (14.83 g plant-1), chlorophyll ‘a’ (1.03 mg g-1), chlorophyll ‘b’ (1.11 mg g-1) and total chlorophyll content (2.14 mg g-1), photosynthesis and transpiration rates (27.33 mg CO2 m-2 s-1 and 10.60 mg H2O m-2 s-1), intercellular CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance (274.30 µ mol mol-1 and 0.82 mol-2 s-1). This treatment also recorded lower number of days to first flowering (23.23 days), earliness in 50 per cent flowering (30.12 days) and also recorded higher yield parameters such as lengthier pods, more number of pods plant-1, pod yield plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, seed yield plant-1, seed yield ha-1 and hundred seed weight of 5.60 cm, 26.30, 8.20 g, 7.30, 5.30 g, 795.12 kg ha-1 and 5.83 g, respectively as compared to other treatments. To conclude, seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150 g kg-1 + foliar spray of prosopis leaf powder @ 6% proved to be the best in enhancing morpho physiological, growth and yield parameters.

Field-Deployed Extruded Seed Pellets Show Promise for Perennial Grass Establishment in Arid Zone Mine Rehabilitation

Current methods of mine rehabilitation in the arid zone have a high failure rate at seedling emergence largely due to limited availability of topsoil and low water-holding capacity of alternative growth substrates such as mining overburden and tailings. Further, seedlings have consistently failed to emerge from seeds sown on the soil surface using traditional broadcasting methods. Seed pellets, formed by extruding soil mixtures and seeds into pellets, can potentially increase soil water uptake through enhanced soil-seed contact and thereby improve seedling emergence. We tested an extruded seed pelleting method in a three-factor field experiment (i.e., different pellet-soil mixtures, organic amendments, and simulated rainfall regimes) in north-western Australia. Given the observed lack of seedling emergence from broadcast seeds, the aims of the experiment were to assess: (i) the use of pellets to promote native seedling emergence and establishment and; (ii) the soil physico-chemical and microbiological changes that occur with this method of rehabilitation. The effects of pellet-soil mixtures, organic amendment, and rainfall regime on seedling emergence and survival of three native plant species suggest trade-offs among responses. Pellets made with a 1:1 blend of topsoil and a loamy-sand waste material had the highest seedling emergence, while 100% topsoil pellets had lower emergence probably because of hardsetting. Triodia pungens (a native grass) survived to the end of the experiment while Indigofera monophylla and Acacia inaequilatera (native shrubs) emerged but did not survive. Adding an organic amendment in the extruded pellet inhibited Triodia seedling emergence but increased soil microbial activity. Overall, extruded pellets made from a 1:1 blend showed promise for the establishment of Triodia seeds and beneficially, incorporates mine waste overburden and lesser amounts of topsoil. Further research is needed to improve pelleting production and to test the applicability of the method at scale, for different species and other ecosystem types.

Seed Pelleting Technology to Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.)] Improvements and Its Importance for Agronomic Practice: A Review

Tef in Ethiopia, among the cultivated food crops grown it ranks first, with an estimated production area of 3,023,283.5 ha and a mean productivity of 1.75 t ha -1 . However, despite its importance in Ethiopia, tef yields are low. In the production year 2017-2018, yields were 1.7 t ha -1 significantly lower than other cereals, such as: maize (3.95 t ha -1 ), sorghum and wheat (both 2.72 t ha -1 ). A knowledge on the use of pelleted seeds in improving the productivity of the tef crop by seed sowing with a minimum time wastage, reduce labor costs, for the use of planting machine to boost the yield of the crop in the country particularly tef grower farmers, investors and other stake holders. From this, to review seed pelleting technology and its importance for agronomic practices and to generate information on seed pelleting for future research direction. The small size of tef seed possess problems during sowing, and indirectly during weeding and threshing. Seed pelleting is the process of enclosing a seed inside a small quantity of inert material just large enough to produce a globular unit of standard size to facilitate planting. Small and irregularly shaped seed can now be treated as larger and round-shaped. Many crop seeds are small and irregular in shape which does not permit the accurate metering by mechanical planting equipments. Pelleting improves the chances of successful germination and seedling establishment under field condition. The pelleting technique increases and homogenizes seed size, but it is essential to determine the physical and physiological characteristics of pelleted seeds. Pellet improvements over the last 10 years include increased O 2 penetration/availability, wider pellet density range, pellet loading, better field visibility. Because of the large increase in volume obtained when seeds are pelleted, pellets have been shown to be effective carriers of plant Protects. Generally application seed pelleting technology for small seed size crops particularly, tef it important for proper planting and maintain planting density of the crop. To this end, research for scientific evident is needed to this technology in the future. Keywords : pelleting technology, Seed pelleting, enclosing a seed DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-24-01 Publication date: December 31 st 2020

Organic Manure Seed Pelleting for Enhancing Soil Properties, Nutrient Uptake and Yield of Rice

Background: Seed pelleting involves the sticking of target materials on to the surface of seeds. Pelleted seeds make planting of small seeds much easier by altering their shape, size and density. The call out on organic farming explains the requisite of user friendly and ecofriendly technique for seed management practices. The current study aimed to assess the effect of organic manure seed pelleting for enhancing soil properties, nutrient uptake and yield of rice.Methods: A pot culture experiment was carried out at College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the year 2018-19 to prepare organic manure seed pellets for rice and to evaluate its influence on yield, nutrient uptake and soil nutrient status. Pelleting materials were prepared using various treatment combinations namely, FYM + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T2), vermicompost + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T3), bioslurry flakes + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T4), charcoal powder + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T5), fly ash + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T6), pongamia leaf powder + Azospirillum + Phosphobacteria (T7) and bioslurry + plant extracts + Azospirillum + Pseudomonas (T8: Farmer practice).Result: The results revealed that the highest grain yield (54.84 g pot-1) and straw yield (66.10 g pot-1) were recorded by T3. With regard to the uptake of nutrients, T3 registered the highest uptake of N, K, Ca, S, Zn, Cu and Si in grain and shoot. P uptake in grain was highest in the treatment T4 while T3 had the maximum P uptake in shoot. Nutrient status of the post-harvest soil was significantly influenced by the treatments.

Influence of Botanical Seed Pelleting on Storability of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Background: Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a major bulbous vegetable as well as condiment of family Alliaceae grown in India, originated in Iran and Pakistan. Seed pelleting is a mechanism of applying various materials to the seed that can enhance the seed quality with respect to physiological, physical and health attributes. Seed deterioration during storage is inevitable process; however seed pelleting can reduce the rate of deterioration. The leaf powders possess antioxidant, fungicidal and insecticidal properties that helps in maintaining the seed quality during storage. Methods: The present investigation was carried out in the laboratory of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during the seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. This experiment comprised of pelleted seeds with different botanicals carried out to determine the effect of seed pelleting and storage potential of pelleted seeds. Result: This experiment comprised of pelleted seeds with different botanicals. In all the treatments gum Arabica (5%) was used as the adhesive except control. The pelleted seeds with different material were stored at ambient conditions for nine months. Highest germination (81.75%), seedling length (11.20 cm), seedling dry weight (1.82 g), seedling vigour index- length (920.33), seedling vigour index- mass (148.90) and speed of germination (26.57) were observed in onion seeds pelleted with Azadirechta indica leaf powder + clay and Melia azadirechta leaf powder + clay. Among the storage periods, fresh pelleted seed (0 month) showed maximum values with respect to germination (86.50%), seedling length (13.38cm), seedling dry weight (2.02 g), seedling vigour index- length (1154.50), seedling vigour index- mass (173.52) and speed of germination (29.04).From the present studies, it can be concluded that onion seeds pelleted with Azadirechta indica leaf powder + clay and Melia azadirechta leaf powder + clay showed significant effects for enhancing seed quality during storage.

Efficiency of pelleting of sugar beet seeds in centrifugal pelleting machine

Seed pelleting is an efficient way to improve the sowing quality of seeds. Diverse positive effect of pelleting is mostly noticeable for beet seeds. Increased size and spherical shape of seeds with shell allows to use precision seeding technology, as well as fertilizers and protective agents being part of the shell, increase their sowing potential and finally increase yields. To obtain pelleted seeds, it is required to use a specialized line with a seed pelleting machine being the main equipment. An improved design of centrifugal batch-operated seed pelleting machine has been developed and manufactured in Belarusian State Agricultural Academy. To activate the process of rolling the shell in the mixing chamber of the pelleting machine, it was proposed to use separately installed blades. Based on theoretical and experimental studies, the main structural and technological parameters of the pelleting machine has been determined to ensure the highest quality of pelleted seeds. Seeds of sugar beet of the domestic variety “Polybel” obtained in a favorable climate were selected for experimental studies. Finished mixture based on bentonite clay was selected as a filler of the seed coat. After the coat formation, the insect-fungicidal dressing agent Prestige was applied to the seeds. The seeds of sugar beet of the domestic variety “Polybel” obtained on experimental pelleting machine showed high results in germination and yield. They are comparable to imported sugar beet hybrids. Pelleting of seeds of domestic varieties of sugar beet on the territory of the Republic of Belarus can become a good alternative to imported pelleted seeds, especially considering their cost, which significantly exceeds the cost of untreated seeds.

Effect of Seed Hardening and Pelleting on Growth, Yield, Physiology and Resultant Seed Quality of Cowpea under Natural Saline Conditions

Background: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is one of the most important legume crops cultivated throughout the world. Cowpea is used as food, feed, forage, fodder, green manuring and vegetable. It’s seed is a nutritious component in the human diet, as well as for livestock. Seed hardening and pelleting are seed enhancement techniques used to improve seed germination and seedling vigour and growth by altering the physiological state of the seed. This alteration may improve the vigor or the physiology of the seed by enhancing uniformity of germination. Seed enhancement techniques like hardening and priming include use of chemicals that trigger systemic acquired resistance or improve stress tolerance whereas the pelleting treatments improve seed handling and planting. They also enhance nutrient availability or provide inoculates by delivering materials needed during sowing, germination and seedling establishment. Hence in order to study the combined effect of seed hardening and pelleting on growth, yield and resultant seed quality of cowpea under natural saline conditions, the present study was taken up. Methods: The present field and laboratory investigations were carried out to study the effect of seed hardening, seed pelleting and their combined effect on growth, physiology, yield and resultant seed quality of cowpea under natural saline conditions. The fresh seeds of cowpea seeds cv. CO (CP) 7 were hardened with KCl @ 1%, CaCl2 @ 1% and both KCl and CaCl2 @ 1% and then the hardened seeds were further pelleted with pungam leaf powder @ 100, 150 and 200 g kg-1 of seed. Then the treated seeds were evaluated for their seed productivity and resultant seed qualities using untreated seeds as control. Observations on growth, leaf chlorophyll content, gas exchange parameters, yield and resultant seed quality parameters were recorded. Result: The experimental results revealed that among the treatments, seeds hardened with KCl @ 1 % + CaCl2 @ 1 % and pelleted with pungam leaf powder @ 200 g per kg recorded higher growth, yield parameters, leaf chlorophyll content, gas exchange parameters and resultant seed quality when compared to control and other treatments.

Effect of Seed Hardening and Pelleting on Germination and Seedling Attributes of Cowpea under Saline Condition

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important legume crop. Investigations were undertaken to study the effect of seed hardening, seed pelleting and combined effect of seed hardening with seed pelleting on germination and seedling growth of cowpea under induced saline condition viz., EC4, EC8, EC12 and EC16. Cowpea seeds were hardened with KCl @ 1%, CaCl2 @ 1% and both KCl and CaCl2 @ 1% and hardened seeds were further pelleted with pungam leaf powder @ 100, 150 and 200 g kg-1 of seed. Observations on germination % and seedling parameters were recorded. The experimental results revealed that increased salinity reduced germination and seedling growth in terms of germination %, speed of germination, root length, shoot length, dry matter production and vigour index. However, hardening and pelleting treatments significantly increased all these parameters at all the levels of salinity when compared to control. Among the treatments, seeds hardened with KCl @ 1 % + CaCl2 @ 1 % and pelleted with pungam leaf powder @ 200 g per kg recorded higher germination % and all the seedling parameters when compared to control and other treatments.

RESULTS OF FIELD RESEARCHES OF PELLETED BUCKWHEAT SEEDS WITH ORGANIC FERTILIZERS BASED ON HUMIC ACIDS WITH SUBSTANTIATION OF CONSTRUCTIVE AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF CENTRIFUGAL PELLETER WITH BLADE REFLECTOR

One can obtain high yields of crops only when seeds with high varietal and sowing qualities are used for sowing. Various methods of presowing processing are used to improve the seed quality. Presowing seed treatment not only improves germination, but also eliminates seeds from pathogens, significantly increases their viability and improves young crops yield. One of the most promising ways of presowing treatment of small and irregular shape seeds is pelleting. This method helps to increase the seeds size and acquire a spherical shape, which greatly simplifies their sowing and allows to accurately observe the seeding rate. The paper presents design of a centrifugal pelleter with blade reflector, the results of studying the process of buckwheat seeds pelleting, and its best design and technological parameters are determined based on those when organic fertilizers based on humic acids were used as material for pelleting. Factors significantly affecting seed pelleting in a centrifugal pelleter with blade reflector were determined, the choice of objective function and criterion for improving the process are substantiated. A dependence describing the process of seed pelleting in a pelleter was obtained as a result of the regression analysis of the obtained results of experimental studies. The obtained results can be used in the field of crop production in agricultural production during presowing treatment of small seed crops and agricultural engineering during development of centrifugal pelleters with blade reflectors.