Quality assessment methods for Picea abies seeds

The quality assessment of spruce seeds consists mainly in determining their germination capacity, including germination rate (speed), but also purity and weight. Internationally recognised methods are listed in the ISTA Rules for Seed Testing which also specify test conditions. Some countries such as Poland use modified methods. Apart from providing information about the purity of a species, purity testing can also identify the proportion of winged seeds in each seed lot. Germination tests yield data on the maximum germination potential of a seed lot which are used to compare the quality of different lots and to establish the field sowing values. This paper presents the methods used for assessing the quality of Norway spruce seeds, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages and the problems that need further investigation.