SEED AND SEEDLING

VIGOR
Seed – is the reproductive unit of a
flowering plant, capable of developing into a
new plant under suitable conditions.
Seedling Vigor – refer to the strength and
robustness of young seedling as they emerge
from the soil and begin their early growth
FACTORS AFFECTING SEED VIGOR

1. GENETIC FACTOR – different plant cultivars or varieties

within a species can exhibit varying levels of seed vigor.
FACTORS AFFECTING SEED VIGOR

2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS – this

includes temperature, moisture, light, soil
quality,etc.
3. SEED QUALITY AND VIABILITY – seeds
with good quality and viability are more likely to
establish stronger seedling vigor.
FACTORS AFFECTING SEED VIGOR
4. NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY – deficient
nutrient in soil affects seed vigor.
FACTORS AFFECTING SEED VIGOR
5. DISEASES AND PESTS – appearance of pests
as well as diseases greatly disrupts seed vigor.
 INCREASING SEED AND SEEDLING VIGOR
1.Proper seed selection and storage – this promotes
better seed quality and preserves the seed vigor.
 INCREASING SEED AND SEEDLING VIGOR
2.Optimal planting conditions - planting the seed
with favorable conditions.
INCREASING SEED AND SEEDLING VIGOR
3. Adequate soil preparation and fertility – proper soil
tillage as well as sufficient nutrients in soil increases
seedling vigor .
INCREASING SEED AND SEEDLING VIGOR

4. Regular irrigation and moisture management- water

is the main constituent for seed establishment,
enough water or moisture helps increase seed vigor.
 INCREASING SEED AND SEEDLING VIGOR
5.Pest and disease control measures – pests disrupts
seed establishment, hence it is helpful to take control
measures prior to planting.
Evaluating Seed and seedling Vigor

1. Germination rate – the percentage of seeds that

successfully sprout and develop into seedlings.

Formula : GR (%) = No. of Germinated Seeds X 100

Total no. of Seeds
Sample Problem 1

1. A gardener sowed 200 seed, and only 120 of them

sprouted. What is the germination rate ?

Formula : GR (%) = No. of Germinated Seeds X 100

Total no. of Seeds
Sample Problem 2

2. A gardener sowed 300 seeds of tomatoes, and after

7 days, she counted 260 seedlings. What is the
germination rate and seedling vigor of the tomato
seeds?
Formula : GR (%) = No. of Germinated Seeds X 100
Total no. of Seeds
Evaluating Seed and seedling Vigor

2. Seedling emergence – the percentage of seeds that

successfully sprout and emerge from the soil .

Formula : SE (%) = No. of emerged Seedlings X 100

Total no. of Seeds
Sample Problem

1. A farmer planted 500 seeds and observed that 450

seedlings had emerged from the soil. Calculate the
seedling emergence rate.

Formula : GR (%) = No. of emerged Seedlings X 100

Total no. of Seeds
= 450 X 100 = 90%
500
Evaluating Seed and seedling Vigor

3. Seedling growth and development – this includes

plant height, diameter, weight , etc.

4. Vigor tests - refers to a set of tests that are

conducted to determine the quality of seeds based on
their ability to produce healthy, vigorous seedlings.
Evaluating Seed and seedling Vigor

• Accelerated Aging Test

Accelerated aging tests are used to evaluate seed and
seedling vigor by subjecting seeds to stressors that
simulate the aging process, such as high temperature
and humidity.

Vigor Index = (% Germination after accelerated aging)

x (Seedling Length after accelerated aging)
Sample Problem
A gardener collected 100 seeds from her tomato
plants. She conducted an Accelerated Aging Test (AAT)
on the seeds and obtained the following results:
Germination rate after AAT: 85%
Seedling length after AAT: 5 cm

Vigor Index = (% Germination after accelerated aging) x

(Seedling Length after accelerated aging)
Vigor Index= (85%) x (5 cm) = 4.25
Sample Problem
The Vigor Index is a measure of the seed's potential to
produce a healthy plant. A higher Vigor Index
indicates a higher potential for producing a healthy
plant.
Evaluating Seed and seedling Vigor

• Tetrazolium Test – The vigor index in the tetrazolium

test is calculated based on the percentage of stained
embryos.
Vigor Index = (% Stained embryos) x (Embryo length)
Sample problem
A farmer conducted a tetrazolium test on 100 corn
seeds. He found that 80% of the embryos were
stained and the average embryo length was 10 cm.
What is the vigor index of the corn seeds?

Vigor Index = (% Stained embryos) x (Embryo length)

= (80%) x (10 cm) = 8
Sample problem
The vigor index of the corn seeds is 8.
A higher vigor index indicates that the seeds are more
likely to produce healthy plants. A vigor index of 8 is
considered to be good for corn seeds.
END OF PRESENTATION
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