Abstract:
Seed system security is a major concern that contributes to ensuring food security in
Sri Lanka. Commercial seeds are often reported to have low germination rates, which
may lead to suboptimal yields. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and
performance of vegetable seeds from various commercial seed brands in the
Anuradhapura district. A mixed-methods approach was employed and began with a
survey of 20 commercial seed suppliers in Anuradhapura city limits and common
seed brands and crop species with reported quality issues were purposely selected.
This was followed by a laboratory evaluation of triplicate 45 seed samples obtained
via a mystery shopper approach. Germination rates and seedling vigor were tested
according to the standards of the International Seed Testing Association at the Central
Seed Testing Laboratory, Gannoruwa. Additionally, the polyphasic OJIP chlorophyll
fluorescent transient analysis was performed on seedlings to assess vigor. The results
revealed that even among the same seed brand and crop, the seed quality varied
widely. Moreover, 78% of the seed samples failed to achieve the germination rates
stated on the seed pack under standard laboratory conditions. This phenomenon may
be entangled with the common origin of poor-quality seed lots or probably
adulteration, which are independent of crop type and seed brands. Associations
generated through Chi-square analysis indicated no significant difference (p<0.05)
between the label information and measured parameters including germination rate.
These findings suggest that the quality of commercially available vegetable seeds in
Anuradhapura was highly inconsistent, thus the information on labels often failed to
reflect seed performance accurately. This inconsistency poses significant risks of crop
failures for farmers who rely on quality indicators on labels. Strong regulations on
quality control measures and their proper implementation are required to enhance
transparency and reliability within the seed supply chain to achieve seed system
security.
