Seed quality control in developing countries

Abstract

Quality, in terms of purity and ability to establish a field stand of the desired plants, is the primary value factor of seed and concern for every seed supplier. Thus, a primary task of the seed industry is achieving quality in production, maintaining quality in processing and handling, and establishing reproducible ways to measure quality and using these throughout the seed chain. Seed certification and seed testing systems are aimed at providing high-quality seed to farmers, and also at stimulating the seed industry, farmer use of the better seed, and the national economy. The balance between internal (in-company) and external (official or private) seed quality control has to be adequate for the level of the country's seed industry development and farmer seed usage. Voluntary seed quality control, truth-in-labeling, and branding are alternatives to full seed certification systems that suffer from under-investment and under-staffing in many countries.