Seed Quality: A Major Key to Successful Production

The issue of seed quality has been a significant concern to smallholders farmer. Holistically, farmers have seen the choice of seed selection for planting from different perspectives. Some farmers select seeds based on grain size, some based on quantity, while others choose seeds based on quality (taste, colour, and resistance to pests and disease). This has resulted in disagreements on the best seeds to plant for maximum production.

Farmers usually prioritize the quantitative characteristic of the seed over the qualitative characteristics of the seed because they are concerned with numbers in terms of yield. As much as the quantitative characteristics of the seed are important to the farmers, farmers should always pay attention to the qualitative characteristics of the seed because both contribute to huge crop production.

Farmers’ primary concern with good quality seed is the cost of acquiring this seed; most time, the cost is double the price of the regular seeds. A good quality seed will prevent farmers from spending extra money on pests and diseases. Farmers should always endeavour to get the best seed regardless of the cost to get the best production.