Development of Seed Pelleting Technology: Applications for High-Value Crop Seeds. 2nd Edition

Many vegetable and grass seeds are small, light, and irregular in shape, making precise planting difficult. Limited control over seed rate, spacing, sowing depth, and line placement often affects crop establishment. Seed pelleting involves enclosing seeds in inert material to produce uniformly shaped pellets suitable for precision planting. Freshly harvested lucerne, soybean, and chilli seeds were pelleted using a standardized process. A 20% gum Arabic solution was used as the binding material, while different coating materials and proportions were tested. The selected seeds were pelleted with a seed pelletizer. Pelletization efficiency reached 84-92% for lucerne, 100% for soybean, and 95-98% for chilli. The estimated pelleting cost was Rs 34, Rs 11.50, and Rs 34 per kg of seed for lucerne, soybean, and chilli, respectively. Pellet bulk density and the mass of 1000 pellets increased with longer pelletization time for all seed types.

Pagina's: 112, Paperback, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing