Definition of Seed Rate
Seed rate may be defined as the amount of seed required for a unit area of land to grow any crop successfully. In other words, the amount of seed required to raise a crop successfully on a given land is called a seed rate for that crop of the land. Finally, the amount of seed that is required to be planted in a unit area of land is called the seed rate.
Seed Rate Formula
The following formula calculates seed rate:
Where,
- WTS = Weight of thousand seedlings in gram
- DPP = Desired plant population
- PSA = Pure Percentage of safety allowance
- PP = Percentage of purity
- PG = Percentage of germination
Objectives of seed rate calculation
- To ensure the number plant population in the field.
- To reduce the wastage of seeds.
- To know in advance the amount of seed to be required for a particular land.
- To increase the yield and quality of a crop.
- To reduce the cost of cultivation of crops.
Factors affecting seed rate calculation
Following factors are considered for determining the seed rate –
- Desired plant population (DPP)
- Percentage of germination (PG)
- Purity percentage (PP)
- Pure Percentage of safety allowance (PSA)
- Weight of seed.
- The number of seeds per pit.
- Planting method.
- Soil productivity.
- Varied morphology.
- Growing season.
- Viability of seed.
- Age of seed.
- Size of seed.
- Objectives of crop cultivation – Food purpose, Seed purpose.