The First Step In Agriculture — What Are Seeds and Seedbeds?

What Is A Seed?

In line with limited production areas, nourishment of the world population (which is increasing rapidly) is only possible with an increase in production per unit area. Quite possibly, seeds are the most important element among agricultural applications and inputs such as irrigation, fertilization and mechanization have been developed to increase production. It has been found that seedbeds (which are the first input of agricultural activity) affect yields by 50 % and in some species well beyond 100%.

These results show that the concepts of seeds and seedbeds are different from each other and it is impossible to regard every seed as a seedbed. The seedbed to be used is up to genuine seedbed standards when it has a certificate.

The effect of certified seedbed use on production includes not only an increase in yield but also an increase in quality. Only the use of high class seedbeds result in high quality production — this is an important element in trade developing rapidly and it is increasingly getting more difficult day by day.

High quality seedbeds must be of high yield, free from diseases and an origin that can be accounted for. In particular, pest and disease-free seedbeds are crucial. In a seedbed certification system, the control of diseases and pests generated especially by seeds are made via  field and laboratory controls — thus pollution of production areas with new diseases and pests can be prevented.

Moreover, certified seedbed use is a must for obtaining crops with the desired aim. Planning production through the desired objective is possible with the selection of proper seedbeds with accountable origins.

Developments in biotechnology and plant breeding (which are crucial in our era) enable one to grow high quality seed species which are resistant against diseases and easily meet market demands.

Prevent Unexpected Challenges

Beside crop species reproduced by seed, the use of vegetable seedlings, fruit/vine seedlings and other reproduction materials by farmers bring many great advantages. If vegetable seedlings are certificated or registered to a commercial vegetable record list, this means that they are controlled for the aspect of

diseases and they fulfill high standards. Especially in fruit growing, which requires a greater amount of time and effort, it is advantageous to use certified seedlings with definite rootstock that are guaranteed as per the aspect of origin in order to prevent unexpected challenges during the growing season.

As a result, increasing yield, obtaining crops with proper standards and ensuring that production meet market demands (in vegetable production) is possible when farmers use certified seedbeds and seedlings. They must be registered and guaranteed for the aspect of origin — this criteria ensures that they carry high yield potential along with confirmed genetic and morphologic characteristics.

Republic of Turkey Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Publication Department – Internation Publication Series -2- Ankara 2007

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Tagged as: agricultural applications, crop species, diseases, fertilization, Fruit, Horticulture, irrigation systems, market demands, Mechanization, nourishment, pests, Plant breeding, production areas, quality production, quality seed, reproduction materials, seed species, seedbed, vegetable seedlings, vine, World population