Seed Technology Unit

Mission: Our mission is to promote the use of improved horticultural seeds/propagules for sustainable food production and improved livelihood.

Vision: Ensuring timely availability of high quality horticultural seed for sustainable production.

Brief Introduction: The Seed Technology Unit (STU) is concerned with research and production of high quality seeds of horticultural crops, preservation and maintenance of variety purity as well as distribution of seeds. The Unit focuses on five key areas which are –

1. Research on seed quality improvement, handling, maintenance and management
2. Production and multiplication of improved seeds (of different classes)
3. Seed quality evaluation (seed testing) and Variety testing across agro-ecologies
4. Training on improved seed production practices, handling and evaluation
5. Income generation for the Institute through seed related activities.

Services offered by this Unit includes:

• Provision of seed needs for scientists, farmers, students among others.
• Advisory services in areas of seed requirement, utilisation and field establishment/management,
• Seed viability testing, variety maintenance and production of different classes of seeds (foundation and certified).
• Training on seed production and seed quality testing.
• Collaborations with seed companies/dealers, ADPs etc (Variety testing across agroecologies) for varietal registration and release among others.
• Participation in public awareness on use of high quality seeds through seminars, exhibition/ fairs, conferences and educational tours

Roguing in Amaranthus seed crop

Corchorus seed crop on the field

Tomato seed crop on the field

Celosia argentea

Mature Celosia heads ready for harvest

Germination test in tomato

Germination test in Egusi melon

Germination test in roselle (Zobo)

Packaged vegetable seeds

Mature, dry okra pods ready for processing