Seed is the most important input to harvest a good crop. The potential yield of crop depends on the quality of the seed used for cultivation of crop. Use of quality seeds alone can enhance the crop productivity by 15-25%. One of the main reasons for low productivity of crops is unavailability of reliable quality seeds in the local markets. To enhance productivity, seed should be of high quality...

A field experiment was conducted at the `Research Farm` of Regional Seed Production Office of Lal Teer Seed Limited, Dinajpur, Bangladesh during November 2008 to April 2009. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of bulb size and planting spacing on seed production of cultivar Taherpuri onion. Three bulb sizes [small (5±2g), medium (10±2g), and large (15±2g)] and four planting spacin...

Mast-seeding species exhibit not only a large inter-annual variability in seed production but also considerable variability among individuals within the same year. However, very little is known about the causes and consequences for population dynamics of this potentially large between-individual variability. Here, we quantified seed production over ten consecutive years in two Mediterranean oak...

1. Masting, the synchronized production of variable seed crops, is widespread among woody plants, but there is no consensus about the underlying proximate mechanisms. To understand this population-level behaviour, it is necessary to dissect the behaviour of individual trees as well as the interactions that synchronize them. 2. Here, we test a model of masting in which variability in seed set is...

In maize (Zea mays L.) large decreases in kernel number result when low water potentials (Psi(w)) and high temperatures occur during pollination. To gain insight into the basis for the decreased seed set, silk, pollen, and ear-leaf Psi(w), the capability for silk osmotic adjustment, and pollen appearance were measured to determine their relationship to seed set. A multiple-eared or prolific (hi...

Smallholder farmers around the world obtain their seed from various sources, which can vary over time. In some countries, smallholder are gaining ground as local producers and sellers. This study focuses on production marketing operations, achievements, challenges of a particular type such producers—community banks—which new players in market. Pioneer case studies presented countries where grai...

Reforestation requires a constant supply of high quality seed. Different methods have been used to measure seed and fruit production as a proportion of that which potentially could be produced. These estimates coupled with developmental studies permit determination of when and to what extent different biological constraints reduce seed and fruit production. These vary among species, years and s...

Strong seed dormancy has been an obstacle for field production of Echinacea species. Previous research on overcoming Echinacea seed dormancy has been extensive and focused on treatment methods, which involve time and expense, and are incompatible with organic production if synthetic chemicals are used. We have attempted to genetically reduce seed dormancy through selection and breeding in Echin...

BACKGROUND: The active oxygen species, despite the damaging effects they have useful roles in the body are living things. OBJECTIVES: This research was done to determine whether Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) could mediate Cyanide and Methylviologen signal in seed dormancy alleviation and sunflower seed germination, more widely, to assess their putative ro...