Germination Test Procedure

old seeds (more than one year) lose their ability to germinate, you use fresh seeds, light inhibit germination, drought also

Although I generally agree with Haldhar's procedures above, many factors can fail to represent on-farm potential germination. Here are factors to consider:

• Temperature: Germination temperature is crucial--keep within 12-18C. Keep germination plates out of hot sun. A thin cloth or paper towel covering will help maintain a more uniform temperature.
• Handling is crucial. Shaking pulses in sand can damage seed.
• Moisture uniformity is needed. Sand can dry rapidly simulating drought effects, or unobserved water can saturate sand causing anaerobic conditions of lower seeds. Soil needs to be remain moist. Good local soil is likely to hold moisture better than sand and more likely replicate field germination.
• Seed depth for germination testing need not exceed 25mm.
• Air is needed for germination. Do not seal container.
• What is the reason for germination test? If selling the seed to others an accurate test is likely required. Germination paper and chamber may be best using lab procedures. If trying get actual field stand estimates of saved seed, doing three replications in good local soil may more closely replicate actual field germination where weed seed, local diseases, and water holding characteristics can be observed. Ask the farmer to apply moisture and keep at test temperatures near ideal germination conditions.
• Avoid contamination of any kind (meaning no residue of petroleum, household cleaners, pesticides, etcetera in or on germination container).

You can do a bioassay or viability testing using tetrazolium or a flotation test

Since you specifically stated you are working with "a lay farmer", please advise on several other germination cautions.

• Dormancy: Plants have a built in mechanism, like hormones, that keep seed from germinating before harvest. Likewise, dormancy after harvest can prevent or delay germination. Do not recommend germination testing within a month of harvest, preferably after several months of storage. However, multi-year storage of even good pulse seed lots will lose viability.
• Careful handling for many seeds, like pulses, is critical. Germination is negatively affected by augering, dropping seed (even in bags) more than a meter. It is best to handle pulses and any dicots by conveyor or by hand bucket but again do not drop onto hard surface nor greater than one meter.
• Seed coats protect seed through harvest and storage until planted. If a pulse seed lot has been harvested too dry or much delayed harvest seed coats can become very fragile allowing entry of fungal diseases and insects. Pulses with obvious seed coat damage or broken cotyledons should not be planted nor considered viable for planting.

Soaking for 24 hours gives easy germination in pulses.

Kindly follow my article on "Response of seed germination and seedling growth by deproteinised forage juice.." in J. Biochemical and Cellular Archives by Rajesh K. Jadhav.