Seed Health: Testing and Management

Abstract Healthy seeds play an important role in growing a healthy crop. Seed health testing is performed by detecting the presence or absence of insect infestation and seed-borne diseases caused fungi, bacteria, viruses. The most detrimental effect pathogens contamination previously disease-free areas spread new diseases. Sowing contaminated infected not only spreads but can also reduce yields significantly 15–90%. Some major affecting yield cereals, oilseeds, legumes, vegetables, particularly warm humid conditions prevailing tropical sub-tropical regions, are blast brown spot rice, white tip nematode ear-cockle wheat, bacterial leaf blight downy mildews, smuts, head mould, seedling rots, anthracnose, halo blight, number viral Hence, detection pathogens, such as fungi (anthracnose, bunt, smut, galls, fungal blights), bacteria (bacterial blights, fruit cankers), viruses (crinkle, mottle, mosaic), nematodes (galls tip), which transmit through seed to main crop, step management strategies for Thus, forms essential part certification, phytosanitary quarantine programmes at national international levels. Detection seed-borne/transmitted vital ensuring basic stock used production maintaining plant germplasm future research product development. Besides precise reproducible methods, appropriate practices during post-harvest handling, including treatment storage, components sustainable crop protection.