The 1,000 kernel weight is a measurement of the weight in grams of one thousand seeds of a grain sample. It varies from one variety to another and from one crop type to another. In fact the 1,000 kernel rate of a single variety will vary from year to year and from field to field. By using the 1,000 kernel rate, a producer can account for these variations when determining the ideal seeding rate and calibrating seed drills. Plump, large seed produces the most vigorous plants.
Poor seed produces weak plants.
Use seed that has had foreign material and small, shrunken or misshapen kernels removed. To properly calculate seeding rates and calibrate seed drills, germination tests should be done on all seed lots. An estimate is also needed of seedling mortality, that is all those seeds which germinate but fail to develop into a plant. The reasons for plant death include disease, insects, rocks and drought. Barley seed, for instance, can vary 25 per cent in size and weight, both of which can dramatically affect the final plant population.