Scientists should focus on developing technologies that would help analyse seed quality swiftly and with lesser cost, Agriculture Production Commissioner of Telangana C. Parthasarathi said here on Friday.
Inaugurating an eight-day special workshop on seed sampling, purity, germination and moisture organised jointly by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and Telangana government, he said moisture content and germination percentage would have huge bearing on the seed quality. The two parameters would also help increase agriculture production and also storage of seed.
About 25 officials of seed quality control officials from Tanzania, Uganda, Bangladesh, Philippines, Iraq, Ethiopia and India are participating in the workshop, where they would be trained by experts in the field. The workshop consists of training classes on day one and practical exposure in seed processing plants located around Hyderabad for the remaining seven days.
Extension of ISTA meet
The workshop is being held as extension of the 32nd ISTA Congress held here from June 26 to July 3. The experts in seed quality testing who would train the quality control officials from seven countries include Eddie Gold Schagg (South Africa) Gerry Hall (United Kingdom) Augusto Martinelli (Argentina) Gerarda de Boer (Netherlands) and Axel Goeritz (Germany). They are also members of the ISTA technical committee on seed quality.
Director of Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Authority (TSSOCA) K. Keshavulu, who is also the vice president-elect of ISTA, said the workshop would help the quality control officials gain knowledge on seed sampling and quality testing so that quality seed is made available to the farming community.