Seed conditioning is the final process that establishes the quality of a seed lot and determines its value. It is a complex process involving a significant series of machines, each of which must be used in the proper sequence of the entire process, and each machine must be carefully and properly adjusted and set up for each lot of seed. If the conditioning plant operator does not have sufficient knowledge of how to set up and adjust each of the machines, then an excessive amount of good seed is lost during conditioning and not all undesirable materials are removed. Therefore, the performance of seed conditioning depends entirely on how effectively the operator sets up and adjusts the machines.
Much effort has been spent in developing seed technology so as to produce high quality seed, but performance of seed conditioning by maximizing the operator’s knowledge of getting the best performance from each of his machines has not been carefully and completely developed. Improving Seed Conditioning focuses on teaching the conditioning plant operator details of each machine and how to get maximum performance from it in terms of operating efficiency, maximum removal of undesirable particles, and minimum loss of good seed.
Organized in a manner that focuses on the specific machine models installed in each operator’s specific plant, this manual is set up to be used as text material in training classes or as a guide for operators employed by seed companies.
Introduction
To meet this need
How this program works
Getting maximum benefit from this technical assistance program
Making a personal permanent reference notebook
Using this training program
Updating or adapting this manual and your conditioning notebook
The operator makes seed conditioning separators operate better
What seed conditioning is and does
Importance of seed
Seed conditioning
Seed conditioning plant facilities
Seed conditioning staff and contract growers
Relations and interactions of plant staff with contract seed growers
Selecting contract growers
Training, supporting and supervising contract growers
Advising contract growers on quality control
Advising contract growers on harvesting and handling seed
Delivering raw seed to the conditioning plant
Seed conditioning plant location
Near the production area
Not near trash, weeds, etc., which attract rats and pests
Dry low-moisture area with good drainage
Minimal traffic and "outside" personnel
Ready access for trucks carrying seed in and out
Not in or adjoining areas where there is much traffic
Not near areas where seed plant noise and 24-hours/day operations would be objectionable
Seed conditioning plant area
Adequate space for all required plant operations
Concrete wall surrounding the entire area
Pave entire area with smooth-finish concrete
Only 2 gates into the plant area
Essential utilities
Fire protection
Clean water supply
Adequate and dependable electricity
Sewage
Safety and security
Trash and garbage
Conditioning plant facilities
Truck scales to weigh incoming and outgoing truck
Truck parking, inspecting loads, servicing and handling
Management and administrative offices
Internal quality control
Raw seed receiving facilities
Seed drying
Raw seed storage
Conditioning
Waste (screenings) handling and disposal
Conditioned seed storage
Conditioned seed and loading facilities
Workshop
Raw (Unconditioned) Seed
Receiving raw seed
Delivery handling systems for raw (unconditioned) seed
Methods of receiving raw seed
Bulk seed in loaded trucks
Bulk in forklift tote boxes
Receiving raw seed delivered in bags
Receiving facilities
Ensuring identity
Sampling and quality testing
Drying
Non-conditioned seed storage
Moving raw seed into conditioning
Setting up machines to prepare for conditioning
Sampling raw seed to determine conditioning needed
Checking flow sequence set-up to ensure complete conditioning
Set up to handle conditioned seed as it is bagged
Handling waste products
Conditioning plan and schedule
Moving raw seed into conditioning
Conditioning
Seed conditioning sequences
Handling and storing conditioned seed
Storing and shipping conditioned seed
Support Operations
Plant area and wall
Truck scales to weigh incoming and outgoing trucks
Management and Administrative offices
Internal quality control lab, staff and procedures
Truck parking, loading, inspecting loads, servicing and handling
Workshop
Seed Conditioning Principles
Basic concepts
Waste Products
Waste product creation
Sanitation and Pest/Insect Control
Cleanliness
Sanitation and pest/insect control
Conditioning Equipment Layout
Equipment layout
Receiving Pit
Receiving pit
Receiving installation
Bucket elevator characteristics
Bucket elevator operation
Vibrating conveyor characteristics
Vibrating conveyor operation
Horizontal belt conveyor characteristics
Horizontal belt conveyor operation
Inclined belt conveyor characteristics
Inclined belt conveyor operation
Drag chain conveyor characteristics
Drag chain conveyor operation
Airlift elevator characteristics
Airlift elevator operation
Ear Corn Conveyor Characteristics
Ear Corn Conveyor Operation
Corn (Maize) Sheller Characteristics
Corn Sheller Operation
Scalper (pre-cleaner) Characteristics
Scalper Operation
Debearder Characteristics
Debearder operation
Huller-Scarifier characteristics
Huller-scarifier Operations
Air-Screen Cleaner Characteristics
Screens
Screen Selection
Air-Screen Cleaner Operation
Cylinder Separation Characteristics
Cylinders
Cylinder Separator Operation
Disc Separator Characteristics
Discs
Disc Separator Operation
Gravity Separator Characteristics
Gravity Separator Operation
Stoner Characteristics
Stoner Operation
Pneumatic Separator Characteristics
Pneumatic Separator Operation
Aspirator Characteristics
Aspirator Operation
Spiral Separator Characteristics
Spiral Separator Operation
Width and Thickness Separator Characteristics
Width and Thicknes Separator Operation
Roll Mill Characteristics
Roll Mill Operation
Color Separator Characteristics
Color Separator Operation
Magnetic Separator Characteristics
Magnetic Separator Operation
Electrostatic Separator Characteristics
Electrostatic Separator Operation
Seed Treater Characteristics
Seed Treater Operation
Bagger-Weigher Characteristics
Bagger-Weigher Operation
Bag Closer Characteristics
Bag Closer Operation
Determining Seed Conditioning Requirements
Determining Conditioning Requirements for a Specific Separation Problem
Determining Sequence to Set up, Adjust, and Operate Conditioning Machines
Selected Machines Adjustment Sequence
Special Packaging Machine
Biography
Bill Gregg holds a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Agronomy Seed Technology. He has held positions of leadership in developing, managing and operating seed technology programs, training personnel and guiding operations at Mississippi State University, Washington State University, and Auburn University in the U.S.A., and as a consultant and advisor in various aspects of seed improvement, seed industry development, personnel development, seed promotion to farmers, in approximately 90 countries in programs sponsored by various national government and private sector agencies, and international development programs. In Seed Conditioning, he worked with equipment manufacturers in research and development of machines, and manufacturing of machines. He worked in actual conditioning of seed of many crops. He trained operators in seed conditioning. He worked in maintenance and repair of seed conditioning machines. He designed and built/installed seed conditioning plants worldwide, probably more plants than any other person worldwide. In many countries and many plants, he examined problems in seed conditioning and developed solutions. He has a significant number of publications on various aspects of seed conditioning. He is widely known jokingly as “Mr. Seed Conditioning." As a measure of his status, he has been included in Who’s Who in the South and Southwest of the USA, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. In 2000 and 2001, the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England, selected him as International Man of the Year in Recognition of his services to the international seed industry.
