SEED testing

• We can test wheat and barley for VID
• Generally we ask for a minimum of 50g, and we will test 7 kernels
• Varietal purity is determined by field crop inspection, grow-outs and molecular testing.
• Pedigreed or certified seed is affected by varietal purity
  certain varieties are listed as protected varieties under UPOV 91.

• Bacterial Leaf Streak, or BLS, is a bacterial seed-borne disease that affects cereals, especially those under irrigation
• BLS can be found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale
• DNA testing can confirm the presence of BLS
• BLS has no treatment but there are management practices growers can implement

• The test identifies seed-borne pathogens present on beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas
• It is an exclusive 20/20 Seed Labs test
• Pathogens identified before seeding lets growers make agronomic decisions to support cropping goals

• This test identifies potentially damaging seed-borne pathogens on cereal seeds
• True Loose Smut requires a separate test
• It is an exclusive 20/20 Seed Labs test
• Identifies:
  • Seed rots & seedling blights
  • Foot and root rots
  • Leaf blights
  • Head blights

• Identifying the presence of FHB (Fusarium Head Blight) on seed stock can help slow the spread of the disease
• FHB can be identified with either:
  • Fusarium Plate Test (5 to 7 days)
  • Fusarium DNA Test (three-day test)
• An additional test for those growing feed is the Vomitoxin (DON test)
  • This test will indicate the presence of DON
  • It is a three day test

• A germination test measures the maximum plant-producing potential of the seed expressed as a percentage
• Seedlings from a germination test are evaluated on:
  • Number of normal seedlings in a 200 seed sample
  • Number of abnormal seedlings
  • Fresh seeds
  • Hard Seeds
  • Dead Seeds
• A diagnostic profile, included in our germination testing, can identify:
  • Chemical injury, dormancy, frost, heating, mechanical damage or the presence of pathogens

• Damage can be caused during movement of seed during seeding, harvest, moving of seeds for treatment or transport.
• Larger seeded crops like pulses can be vulnerable to damage
• Mechanical damage can be seen as:
  • Splits
  • Seed coat cracks
  • Microscopic breaks
  • Internal or cryptic damage
  • Damage range goes from slight to structurally deficient.

20/20 Seed Labs assess for mechanical damage visually during germination and vigour testing, and can assess a percentage to the tested lot.

• Germination testing is an integral part of a seed quality regime and is vital for assessing seed viability
  Beyond germination 20/20 Seed Labs considers three critical seed tests to be:
  
  
  • Vigor
  • Disease Diagnostic Profile
  • 1000 TKW

The values from the tests can be entered into a seeding rate calculator to determine seeding rates.

Optimal seeding rate can have a big influence on nutrient utilization, crop input applications and crop staging/maturity.

• A vigour test is designed to mimic less than optimal seeding conditions to see how the lot will perform under stress
• Genetics, environmental conditions (weather, harvest, storage), seed maturity, disease and physical integrity can all affect the vigour of seeds.
• Trials have shown that seed lots with high germ and high vigour perform well in a wide variety of conditions.

• Take a representative sample, submit to your seed plant
• Your seed plant will take your information, including your test selection
• Here are the amounts for each sample type:
  • Cereals
    • Seed Health & Disease Tests 500 g (2 1/2 cups)
    • Purity Tests 1 kg (5 cups)
  • Pulses
    • Seed Health & Disease Tests 500 g (3 cups)
    • Purity Tests 1 kg (6 cups)
  • Grasses & Forages
    • All Testing 250 g
  • Canola
    • All Testing 250 g