Standardization of Screen Aperture Size for Grading of Dhaincha Seeds

Abstract

To standardize the sieve size for seed grading in dhaincha during Kharif, 2019–20 and 2020–21, an experiment was carried out. The native dhaincha species was processed using slotted perforated metal sieves with CRD design ranging S1 - 1.4 mm (S), S2- 1.6 mm (S), S3- 1.8 mm (S), S4 - 2.0 mm (S), and S5- 2.2 mm (S). The study realized that 2.0 mm and 2.2 mm sieves recorded highest seed quality standards and yielded larger-sized seeds. the results revealed that the seed recovery per cent in the 1.4 mm screen was maximum, whereas, the seed quality, nevertheless was better when seeds were graded using 2.0 mm and 2.2 mm sieves.  From the combined average data of the two years, the highest quality seeds were retrieved by grading the seeds using 2.0 mm screen with good seed recovery per cent viz., SR (92.99%), PP (98.46%), PLS (90.37%), TW (26.16 g), SG (81.63 %), TSL (25.2 cm), SDW (14.4 mg), SVI-I (2103) and SVI-II (1174). Hence, the 2.0 mm screen can be used to obtained highest quality seeds with economical seed recovery.