Seed Treatment and Germination Methods

Hello everyone,

    It's me again, how are you all? Hope you are fine. Anyway, just want to update you all on what I learned this week. Better buckle up because there's a lot. 

    First thing first, a little bit about plant propagation. So what is plant propagation you ask? Well, in simple terms, it's basically how new plants grow (either from seeds, cutting, or any other parts of the plant). There's 2 main way of plant propagation, sexual propagation and asexual propagation. Sexual propagation is basically the plant growing from seeds (which can be found in fruits for example). Asexual propagation (or vegetative) however, does not rely on seed. Instead, they can be propagated by using parts of the plant like leaves, stems or roots. This can be occur either naturally by the plant (eg: sugarcane) or artificially by people. Artificial method such as cutting, grafting, budding and layering are some of the method people use propagate plants. But this time, I will only focus on the sexual propagation.

SEED SELECTION

    So you want to plant a tree or crop, but you don't know which one to choose? Don't worry, I got you. Here are some criteria to help you decide which seed is the best:

    1) Fresh and healthy seed 

    2) Mature seed

    3) Pure lineage

    4) Properly stored seeds

    5) High germination rate (at least 70% germination rate)

    6) Free from pest 

SEED TREATMENT

    Some seed require some treatment to ensure better propagation rate. The treatment can be done biologically, physically or through the use of chemical agent. These treatment also offer protection to the seeds. They are also used to soften hard seeds or break dormancy allowing easier germination process. Here are some type of treatment:

    1) Scarification is method where you intentionally damage the seed to allow them to germinate. Not all seed need to be scarred, so you might want to do some research on the seed that you're planning to plant.

    2) Fungicides and insecticides are very commonly used as it is not only very effective but also very easy to use. They can prevent fungal diseases and insect infestation. An example is using Thiram (fungicide) to prevent fungal diseases.

    3) Water soak treatment is a process where you soak the seed in hot water to kill some pathogens. However, this does not protect them from soil organism.

    4) Microbial inoculant is the use of beneficial microorganism to improve nutrient availability in the soil. These microorganism are added to the soil and are harmless to the plant. 

    5) Plant growth regulator or hormones can be used to regulate certain growth on the seed.

PRECAUTION

    While these treatment seems simple, it is better to be safe and follow certain rule so that it doesn't harm anyone or kill the seed. Make sure to label the treated seed so that you can differentiate the treated seed from the untreated ones. Also, make sure to use the correct dosages of chemicals and hormones. Over-dosage can affect the seeds. Dosages are often written in the bottle or package of the chemical so do not ignore it. Most importantly, keep them safe from human and animal as some of the chemical are  very harmful.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR AFFECTING SEED GERMINATION

   There are several thing that you need to consider before planting the seed. Firstly, the lighting of the planting area. Depending on what type of plant your trying to propagate, the lighting of the area will be different. Providing some shade in the area is also advisable. Having constant access to air and water is also important for plant germination. The surrounding temperature also needs to be considered. 

METHOD OF SOWING

    Okay, so we've good the proper seed, proper treatment and proper surrounding. Next we need to sow the seed. Sowing seed can be as simple as placing them in soil. But some method offer better advantage and result than others. Some sowing methods are as below:

    1) Direct Sowing

    2) Planting Germinant

    3) Transplanting emergence

    4) Miniplug transplant

COMPONENTS IN SOIL MIXTURE

    There are many things that you can use to sow the seeds in. Depending on what you use, the seed will get different benefits. The most commonly used are soil and organic material. Other alternatives can be used such as peat moss, compost, sawdust, vermiculite, rice hull, pumice, perlite, rock wool and sand.

That should be all for now. See you next time.

First week of the course

 Hello,

    So this is my first blog post so I don't really know what to say about it. All I would like to say is that I am fairly new to this online study session since I spent my last year staying at home helping my parents after ending my diploma. Well...... enough about that, on to my first week of the class.

    Anyway,  regarding for my first class for the subject, it started with a brief explanation on the course outline followed some introduction on the subject as well as some 'ice breaking' session with the class. We did delve into the subject on farming equipment on the day, which introduced us to some familiar tools such as a spade, rake, shovel etc. There were some unfamiliar ones for me such as the hand cultivar and pruning shears. Turns out there were actually a lot more specific tools used for gardening/farming than I thought.

    There was also a brief explanation on the preparation of planting area (plowing, farm bed preparation and lining). I will learn about this topic in more detail in the future so stay tuned.

    Subject on proper farm maintenance was also touched, mainly on the tool maintenance. Taking proper care on tools can help them last longer, which in turn will reduce cost for the equipment repairs. Farming tools should be properly washes every time after they are used. BUT!!! more importantly, make sure that they are dried properly before they are stored or else they will rust very fast. Storing the tools in proper place will also allow you to keep track on them. Speaking of which, make sure to keep records on your tools. Keeping record of farm tools usage can help prevent the tools from disappearing or stolen. For tools that have bolt or screws, grease them up to allow smoother turning and movement.

    There are also 'special' tools used in farms to ensure the growth of the crops. These are divided into 4 groups which are; physical, biological, cultural and chemical control measure. A prime example of physical control is by altering the environment (humidity, water, light etc.), making it unsuitable for pest to live in. Biological control measure is basically using organism that are natural enemies to the pest that harms your crops. Meanwhile, cultural control measures are the practices/farming technique used on the farm. For example, like crop rotation and polyculture (planting various crops in an area). As for chemical control, well...... it's kinda self explanatory. You use chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides to control pest and weeds. But do remember that these chemicals will impact the environment so make sure to properly think about using this method.

    That should be everything that I learned on the first week of this course. See you next time. Thanks.