QuestionsToAskYourSeed LabAboutYourResults ByJanetKanters Seedqualityisdeterminedaftergeneticsbythe environmentitwasgrownin.Everyyearseedqualityvaries. “Seedlabsareequippedtoassesstheseeds’fullpotential forviabilityandhealth,usingbothaccreditedand informationaltests,”saysSarahFoster,presidentand seniorseedanalystwith20/20SeedLabsInc.“Itis importanttoknowthatwhilethegerminationtesthas beenstandardized,theothertestshavenot.” Useyourseedlab’sknowledgeandaskhowyourseedcan bemanagedbest. Herearesomequestionstoask: •Howoftenshouldseedbetestedduringtheseason?  •Howdoesthegerminationtestdifferfromthevigour? •Howclosetogethershouldthegerminationandvigour testresultsbe? •Whatvigourmethodsdoweuseandforwhichcrops? •Whatkindsofenvironmentalstressaffectquality?  •Whattemperaturedoyouuseforvigour? •Howmuchseedistestedforgerminationandvigour? •Howcanavigour&1000kwtbeusedforseedingrates? •Howdoesmechanicaldamageaffectseedquality? •Howdoesagingaffectseedquality? •Howdoesseedhealthimpactquality? 24 www.seed.ab.ca | Advancing Seed in Alberta In 2009, Joost Van der Burg, a member of ISTA’s Advanced Technologies Committee representing the Netherlands at the time, inventoried the most promising technologies that were either in the pipeline or had emerged and were available for use. The technologies, he says, usually involve some investment and they sometimes take a decade or more to mature, so it’s understandable that some secrecy surrounds them. Powell acknowledges there are new technologies, developed by equipment companies, which are beginning to come into the market. The challenge, she says, with many of the tempting new technologies is that they’ve only been tested using select material, not commercial material. Powell explains that ISTA’s Seed Science and Advisory Group can evaluate the efficacy of equipment that is marketed as a means of testing seed. “We get as much information as possible from the company and published research, and then evaluate the evidence that the equipment is effective and publish the results,” she says. “The results of the seed tests need to be comparable everywhere because that is the basis of international trade.” However, having worked with students from Nepal, Bangladesh and Kenya, Powell says she’s particularly aware that not all countries have modern laboratories and equipment. “That’s why it’s necessary for the association to recognize a wide range of tests,” she points out. Tested and Trusted “Our vision within the International Seed Testing Association is ‘uniformity in seed testing,’” Powell says. “We’ve worked hard to get the rules and testing standards we have today in place. “The tests that exist now are the ones that have been and can be replicated around the world in any laboratory, and that give people in the seed industry a great deal of confidence. They are also the basis for international trade.” In some cases, the different types of tests to evaluate one characteristic of seeds reflect the changes in approach to testing. “When I think about a variety test, there are many different types of tests that can be used to verify the variety,” Powell says. Product/Campaign Name: Web Publication: Alberta Seed Guide Date Produced: October 2017 Size: 7.125” x 3.25 SEC_WEB17 Genes on-line. Genes on-line. For genes that fit your farm® , visit secan.com secan.com Genes that fit your farm® is a registered trademark of SeCan. SEC_WEB17_ABSG_SEC_WEB16_ABSG.qxd 2017-10-15 6:03 PM Page 1