SEED STANDARDS

F: Foundation seed
C: Certified seed

Standards are in percent Seed Standards for Foundation and Certified

unless indicated otherwise seed classes and minimum limits of germination and
purity for labeling.

Pure seed Inert Matter Other Crop Seed Total Weed Seeds Objectionable Germination Moisture (Maximum) Other
(Minmum) (Maximum) (Maximum) (Maximum) weed seeds (Minimum) Distinguishable
Crops (Maximum) Ordinary Vapourproof Varieties
Container Container
F C F C F C F C F C F C F C F C F C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Cereals
Barley 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 85 85 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Maize :
Inbreds 98.0 - 2.0 - 5/kg - None - - - 80 - 12.0 - 08.0 - 5/kg -
Single crosses 98.0 - 2.0 - 5/kg - None - - - 80 - 12.0 - 08.0 - 5/kg -
Hybrids - 98.0 - 2.0 - 10/kg - None - - - 90 - 12.0 - 08.0 - 10/kg
Composites & 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg None None - - 90 90 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
open pollinated var
Oats 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 2/kg 5/kg 85 85 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 - -
Paddy 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 2/kg 5/kg 80 80 13.0 13.0 08.0 08.0 0.05 0.2
Bajra: Hybrid & 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 75 75 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 - -
open pollinated Var.
Sorghum:
Hybrids 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 10/kg - - - 75 75 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Open pollinated Var 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 75 75 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Wheat 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 2/kg 5/kg 85 85 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 - -

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Pulses
Black gram 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Green gram 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Clusterbean 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg None None - - 70 70 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Cow-pea 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None 10/kg None 10/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 5/kg 10/kg
French-bean 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None 10/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 5/kg 10/kg
Garden-pea 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None 5/kg None None - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 5/kg 10/kg
Gram 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None 5/kg None None - - 85 85 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 5/kg 10/kg
Horse-gram 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None 10/kg None None - - 80 80 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 5/kg 10/kg
Lentil/Khesari 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Red-gram 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 75 75 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Oilseeds
Castor 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 70 70 08.0 08.0 05.0 05.0 5/kg 10/kg
Castor (Hybrid) 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 70 70 08.0 08.0 05.0 05.0 5/kg 10/kg
Groundnut 96.0 96.0 4.0 4.0 None None None None - - 70 70 09.0 09.0 05.0 05.0 - -
Linseed 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 80 80 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 10/kg 20/kg
Rapeseed Mustard 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 5/kg 10/kg 85 85 08.0 08.0 05.0 05.0 0.1 0.5
Safflower /Niger 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None 5/kg 10/kg None None 80 80 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 None None
Sesamum 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 80 80 09.0 09.0 05.0 05.0 10/kg 20/kg
Soybean 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 70 70 12.0 12.0 07.0 07.0 5/kg 10/kg
Sunflower(Hyb.) 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None 5/kg 10/kg None None 70 70 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 - -
Fibres
Cotton 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 65 65 10.0 10.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Cotton (Hyb.) 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 65 65 10.0 10.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Jute 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 80 80 09.0 09.0 07.0 07.0 - -
Sunnhemp 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 80 80 10.0 10.0 - - - -
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Fodder
Berseem 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 5/kg 10/kg 80 80 10.0 10.0 07.0 07.0 - -
Lucern 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 5/kg 10/kg 80 80 10.0 10.0 07.0 07.0 - -
Teosinte 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg None None - - 80 80 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 - -
Common/Finger/ 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 75 75 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 - -
Italian millet
Marvel grass 90.0 90.0 10.0 10.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 40 40 10.0 10.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
M.P.Chari 97.0 97.0 3.0 3.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 75 75 12.0 12.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Vegetables
Amaranthus 95.0 95.0 5.0 5.0 5/kg 10/kg 10/kg 20/kg 5/kg 10/kg 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 10/kg 20/kg
Cabbage/knolkhol 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 70 70 07.0 07.0 05.0 05.0 - -
Cauliflower 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 65 65 07.0 07.0 05.0 05.0 - -
Chilli/Capsicum 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 60 60 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Garden beet 96.0 96.0 4.0 4.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 60 60 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 - -
Carrot 95.0 95.0 5.0 5.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 60 60 08.0 08.0 07.0 07.0 5/kg 10/kg
Brinjal 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Kasurimethi/methi 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg 2/kg 5/kg 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Lettuce 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None 5/kg 10/kg 2/kg 5/kg 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 10/kg 20/kg
Onion 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Radish/Turnip 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 70 70 06.0 06.0 05.0 05.0 - -
Okra (Bhindi) 99.0 99.0 1.0 1.0 None 5/kg None None None None 65 65 10.0 10.0 08.0 08.0 10/kg 20/kg
Tomato 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg None None - - 70 70 08.0 08.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Indian clover 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 10/kg 20/kg 10/kg 20/kg - - 65 65 10.0 10.0 07.0 07.0 10/kg 20/kg
Sugar beet 96.0 96.0 4.0 4.0 5/kg 10/kg 5/kg 10/kg - - 60 60 09.0 09.0 08.0 08.0 - -
Cucumber 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 5/kg 10/kg None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Bitter gourd 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 5/kg 10/kg
Bottle gourd 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Ridge gourd 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 5/kg 10/kg
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Indian Squash 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Long melon 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Muskmelon 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Watermelon 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 5/kg 10/kg
Pumpkin 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Sponge gourd 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 5/kg 10/kg
Snake gourd 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None None None 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Summer squash 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -
Winter squash 98.0 98.0 2.0 2.0 None None None None - - 60 60 07.0 07.0 06.0 06.0 - -

Note : 1. The above table has been developed out of the Minimum Seed Certification Standard(March 1971) and the subsequent standards approved by the Government of
India from time to time.
2. Germination (col. 12 and 13) includes hard seeds in legumes such as berseem, soybean, gram, lucern, clusterbean, cowpea, methi, kasurimethi, sunhemp, redgram, greengram,
horsegram, lentil and khesari and in okra(bhindi) and Indian clover.
 3. In maize “other crop seeds” includes “other distinguishable varieties”.
4. In groundnut germination percent is for “hand-shelled kernels”.
5. In sorghum only CSH-5 hybrid seed and its female parent viz. MS-2077A seed, the germination standard for certification is 75% (minimum).
6. In pearl millet(bajra), sorghum, wheat, paddy, triticales and in sunflower the following seed standards for disease has been prescribed:

Bjra and sorghum (both hybrids and open pollinated varieties)

Ergot, sclerotia, seeds entirely or partially modified as sclerotia,
broken sclerotia or ergotted seed (maximum).
F C F C
0.020% by number 0.04% by number
Wheat Triticales
Nematode galls of tundu/ear cocle None None Seeds infected by Kernel Bunt 2/kg
5/kg
Seeds in fected by kernel Bunt 0.05% by number 0.25% by number
Paddy Sunflower
Paddy Bunt 0.10% by number 0.50% by number Seeds infested with Orobanche cumana (max) None
None