Forage Seed Production

Field multiplication; Performance objectives; Introduction to seed production; Seed production systems; Site selection; Matching the forage to the site; The forage plant; Crop establishment; Crop management; Seed harvesting; Feedback exercises; Post-harvest seed conditioning; Performance objectives; Introduction to post-harvest seed conditioning; threshing and winnowing; Seed drying; Seed cleaning; Seed packaging; Seed storage; Seed quality control concepts; Performance objectives; Introduction to evaluation of seed quality; Components of seed quality; Seed quality assurance; Methods for seed quality testing; Introduction to seed certification; Introduction to seed legislation; Seed marketing; Performance Objectives; Introduction to seed marketing; Marketing efficiency and problems; Product option, targeting species and quantities; Economics of forage seed production; Performance objectives; Introduction to seed production economics; Inputs for seed production; Risks and uncertainty in defining seed demand.

Published in association with the International Herbage Seed Production Research Group, this volume and its companion provide the definitive resource for anyone involved in the breeding and commercial production of grass and legume seeds, whether for grazing systems, horticulture or recreation.

This two-volume set examines temperate, tropical and subtropical species of seed, providing a resource for all those concerned with the breeding and profitable use of grasses and legumes within grazing systems or recreation and amenity provision.

The grasses and legumes grown in pastures and rangelands form the basis of the worldwide animal production industry. Some species also have a significant role in the sport and leisure industry, for playing surfaces such as golf courses and football fields. It is therefore vitally important to ensure that seed supplies of appropriate species are available for use on a commercial scale. This book is published in association with the International Herbage Seed Production Research Group. It brings together leading researchers and along with its companion volume Forage Seed Production Volume 2: Tropical and Subtropical Species (to be published in late 1998), provides the definitive resource for all those concerned with breeding and profitable seed production for grasses and legumes used within grazing systems or recreation and amenity provision. The book is in two parts. Part 1 covers all aspects relevant to seed production, including improving seed yield and quality, crop management, harvesting, processing and the international seed trade. Part 2 consists of eleven case studies from eight countries covering three continents. This book and its companion should be read by all seed scientists involved in the breeding and commercial production of grass and legume seed. They also represent a valuable asset for all commercial seed suppliers. Additionally, the information presented within the book is important for all students and lecturers within departments of agriculture and plant breeding.

Seminar paper from the year 2021 in the subject Agrarian Studies, Hawassa University, language: English, abstract: This term paper aims to investigate challenges and prospects of forage seed production in Ethiopia. Seed production of forage species is a much earlier and less developed stage in the tropics and subtropics than in temperate regimes. Many of the current tropical forage cultivars were developed 50 years ago. Most of these grasses come from species new to agriculture. They have not undergone long period of domestication through hybridization and selection. Instead, they still retain many "wild characteristics" – attributes which aid their natural spread but pose difficulties for their commercial seed production. All of this poses a challenge to seed producers who must decide where the various crops should be grown for seed, the best management strategy to apply in each case and when and how they should be harvested to maximize seed yield and quality. Forage seed productions in tropical regions are characterized by variable production. Seed yield instability of the species may be a consequence of the contrasting environmental conditions that occur during the vegetative and reproductive growth of the crops.

Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 7th Edition, Volume II will extensively evaluate the current knowledge and information on forage agriculture. Chapters written by leading researchers and authorities in grassland agriculture are aggregated under section themes, each one representing a major topic within grassland science and agriculture. This 7th edition will include two new additional chapters covering all aspects of forage physiology in three separate chapters, instead of one in previous editions. Chapters will be updated throughout to include new information that has developed since the last edition. This new edition of the classic reference serves as a comprehensive supplement to An Introduction to Grassland Agriculture, Volume I.