Primed and graded seed - anyone used any?

[Snoop Puss]

I've been planning next year's parsnips. Usually I grow Guernsey, but I've come across one variety described as 'primed and graded'. The variety I was looking at is Palace, an F1. I've never heard of 'primed and graded' seeds before. Has anyone used such seeds in any variety but particularly parsnips?

Here's a definition of 'primed and graded' from one supplier:

Primed Seeds. Primed seed is brought almost (but not quite) to the point of germination to give it a head start. This is helpful with ‘difficult’ seeds, ones that germinate slowly or erratically

Graded Seeds. The aim of seed grading is to maintain quality from one season to the next by removing immature, shrivelled, damaged, cracked, undersized or oversized seed. Seed grading has the smallest cost input in crop management but the highest return. Official tests and practical results have proved that proper seed grading gives a dramatic increase in yield (up to 45% better from large seeds).

[Bren In Pots]

I don't think I'd bother with them, parsnip seeds don't keep from year to year. I tend pre-chit the whole packet in plastic trays sowing those that germinate doing it that way works for me.

[veggiechicken]

Graded Seeds. The aim of seed grading is to maintain quality from one season to the next by removing immature, shrivelled, damaged, cracked, undersized or oversized seed. Seed grading has the smallest cost input in crop management but the highest return. Official tests and practical results have proved that proper seed grading gives a dramatic increase in yield (up to 45% better from large seeds).

I would have hoped that all seed on sale would be "graded" to remove poor quality seed. Makes you wonder whether its 45% better because they've removed the 55% of the seeds that would never grow - the immature, shrivelled, damaged, cracked and wrongly sized ones that should never have been sold anyway.
I'm sure my maths is wrong but you know what I mean.

[Snoop Puss]

^^
Absolutely, VC. In some types of seeds, you don't notice damaged or small seeds. But with brassicas, it's surprising how many packets contain small or chipped seeds. Packets of parsnip seeds often seem to contain lots of seeds that are significantly smaller than the biggest ones.

[veggiechicken]

I've noticed it with the big seeds - like beans - where you may not get many in a packet but it looks like more because some are in 2 halves
I've started to work out the cost per seed before buying now. For example, if 5 cucumber seeds cost £4 - that 80p a seed. If you're lucky, 3 will grow and maybe 2 will survive long enough to have baby cukes. That's £2 a plant. Sometimes its cheaper to go to the shop and buy a plant - or even the cucumbers........or grow cheapo cukes like marketmore and hope for the best.
I read that primed seeds have a short shelf life - one site said they had to be sown within 2 months of purchase - another said 6 months. Either way, it means you have to be ready to sow when you buy them and they all have to be sown, whether you want that many plants or not.
Think I'll save my money

[Jimny14]

I read that primed seeds have a short shelf life - one site said they had to be sown within 2 months of purchase - another said 6 months. Either way, it means you have to be ready to sow when you buy them and they all have to be sown, whether you want that many plants or not.
Think I'll save my money

I'm guessing in that case you'd need to be buying from a supplier who has a large turnover of seeds to avoid them hanging around on shelves for too long before being bought. They're starting to sound less and less appealing.