Improved seed storage and segregation for advance breeding lines RIRDC - Link (October 2006)

Ford, R

2006

This RIRDC reports on the project Improved seed storage and segregation for advance breeding lines. The aim of the project was to establish a seed repository for all rice varieties in commercial production. It was also to improve and develop drying, cleaning and storage. This will become the centre for handling breeding lines and commercial cultivars developed as part of NSW Department of Primary industry rice breeding program. The objectives were to store significant quantities of current cultivars seed and new cultivars to enable repaid seed production. It was also reduce the risk of genetic changes occurring in longer term cultivars and reduce risk of cross contamination between cultivars during early phases of the pure seed scheme. The project saw the introduction of automation and monitoring for the drying systems which allows the seed to maintain optimum vigour and germination at the completion of the drying cycle. Testing the seed for both purity of type (varietal purity) and purity from weed seeds has added more assurance as to the final quality of the rice seed. The project saw many implementations of guidelines and protocols for cleaning, storage, segregation and monitoring and it recommended that there continues to be room for improvement.