Seed Laboratory Archives - Page 4 of 5

Seed Laboratory Update

Posted on September 15, 2021

Please note that the Seed Laboratory has issued a new Fee Schedule, effective July 1. To view or download it, click here.

A few reminders as we begin a new testing season:

• The sample must be representative of your seed lot—the test results we obtain are a direct reflection of the sample that is provided.

• Storing a sample prior to submitting—keep samples in a closed container in a clean, dry location away from excessive heat.

• Shipping samples—package properly to minimize damage and prevent spillage during transit.

• Include a completed Sampling Report and other relevant documentation for each sample submitted. Any missing information may cause delays in testing and final certification.

If you have any questions, please contact the Seed Laboratory Manager, Chase Mowry, at chase.mowry@mncia.org.

Selling Seed Out-of-State?

Are you selling your seed into another state? If so, an All State Noxious Exam is needed. You can request the All State Noxious test on the Sampling Report when submitting your sample. If you have further questions, please contact the MCIA Seed Laboratory or your MCIA field supervisor.

Seed Testing Reminders

Posted on August 18, 2021

It’s a busy time of year for growers and for our Seed Laboratory. To ensure timely and efficient service, we offer the following reminders to Seed Laboratory clients.

Be sure to include a Sampling Report with every sample submitted for testing. Whether it be for a retest or a germ update, a Sampling Report is necessary for recording date of receipt, assigning a lab number, tests requested, as well as any other pertinent information regarding your seed lot.

New crop small grains and turf grasses may require extra germination time due to prechill requirements. Be sure to include the year of production on the Sampling Report.

Loose smut tests can be conducted on each barley field at the time of harvest, eliminating the need for a smut test on every lot. Loose smut results must be included on the bulk sales certificate or seed tag.

A new fee schedule took effect July 1, 2021. To access the fee schedule, click here.

Seed Lab Update

Posted on June 17, 2021

As the influx of samples to the Seed Laboratory begins to slow and the end of the fiscal year nears, here is a recap of the past testing season and a look forward to the projects that we have planned for the summer.

Many of us faced new challenges this year due to the pandemic. The Seed Laboratory is accustomed to the support provided by student workers who are enrolled in the MAST International program. During the University of Minnesota campus closure, however, that help has not been readily available. Nonetheless, we tested approximately 2,800 samples this year. This number is the second highest since the lab reopened in 2016.

In general, overall sample quality was very high this year. Compared to the past few years, there were very few disease issues for small grains and soybeans. Ryegrass comprised the largest number of samples tested (775), followed by soybeans (527), wheat (439), oats (392), and corn (302). Predictably, March was the busiest month of the year with 570 samples tested.

The Seed Laboratory added a new service this year: We issued eight Canadian Seed Grade Reports for seed lots being exported to Canada. (Note: A Canadian Seed Grade Report is different than a Seed Certification Report for Export to Canada). This service was made possible by our accreditation through the USDA Accredited Seed Lab (ASL) program and meeting requirements to become an accredited seed grader.

We also recently completed the third year working on a project with University of Minnesota Associate Professor and Extension Agronomist Seth Naeve. Our task was to identify any seed contaminants present in soybean screenings that were grown from fields across the U.S. We identified over 47,600 contaminants in the 544 samples that we examined this year! This work is part of a larger program that aims to improve the quality of U.S. exports and help farmers manage herbicide-resistant weeds. More information on Seth Naeve’s work regarding managing foreign material in soybeans can be found on the UMN Extension website.

This summer, our primary focus will be on fulfilling accreditation requirements, such as calibrating equipment (thermometers, scales, dividers, etc.), updating controlled documents, testing for new control samples, conducting a customer satisfaction survey, completing vendor evaluations, and performing an internal audit. We have sent a customer satisfaction survey to our clients via email. Your participation in the survey will provide us with valuable information regarding the testing services MCIA offers.

Our other duties, outside the scope of accreditation, will include restocking testing supplies, purchasing new equipment, and disposing of samples from cold storage. In addition, evaluation of small grain and soybean grow-out plots will be conducted as part of our post-control measures.

Options for Managing Seed Inventory

Posted on June 15, 2021

Various weather conditions, such as frost, drought, or excessive rains may affect seed production locally and regionally. MCIA members still have some options to help manage their seed inventory. Growers who need to add certified seed acres may apply for field inspection at any time prior to harvest or within the inspection window. Late fees will be charged for late applications.

Growers may also carryover all certified seed classes; this includes conditioned and unconditioned seed. For conditioned seed that has previously been tested, a new germination test would be needed next winter. For unconditioned carryover seed, standard testing would be needed after conditioning has been completed. Growers with carryover seed inventory may also submit their information to MCIA so the seed can be listed in the 2022 MCIA Directory.

If you anticipate having excess seed inventory, it may be worthwhile to contact potential customers or approved seed facilities outside your traditional customer area and into neighboring states.

If you have any questions, contact your MCIA field supervisor. We will gladly work with you to help address your needs.

Palmer Amaranth Found in Polk County

Posted on May 26, 2021

Palmer amaranth has long flowering spikes that are spiny. The plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds in a short time frame. Seeds mature within 10-12 days after pollination. Photo: MDA.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has positively identified the invasive weed Palmer amaranth in Polk County. The confirmation came after the MDA inspected a field being used for the disposal of agricultural screenings.

The MDA collected a sample of the screenings material and determined by genetic testing that it was contaminated with Palmer amaranth seed. The field was scouted, and MDA staff found several dead Palmer amaranth plants on the field’s edge remaining from last year, suggesting the plants had grown and matured.

The landowner is working with the department to eradicate any of the weeds moving forward. At this time, the MDA believes the issue is isolated to only one field. The field and the surrounding area will be a priority for MDA field scouting this summer.

Since it was first discovered in the state in 2016, Palmer amaranth has been found in ten Minnesota counties, including Polk County. Most of the sites have been successfully eradicated and the remaining are being closely monitored.

In Minnesota, Palmer amaranth is listed as a noxious weed and a prohibited weed seed. This means no Palmer amaranth is allowed in any seed offered for sale in Minnesota.

Palmer amaranth is resistant to multiple herbicides, can cause substantial yield losses, and greatly increase weed management costs in soybeans and corn.

MDA’s full press release on this topic can be found online, here. Find more information about Palmer amaranth on the MDA’s website, here.

Seed Lab FYI: Days Required for Germ Tests

Posted on April 20, 2021

Barley* (no prechill): 7 days
Corn: 7 days
Oats* (no prechill): 10 days
Rye* (no prechill): 7 days
Ryegrass (no prechill): 14 days
Soybeans: 7 days
Wheat* (no prechill): 7 days
*A prechill is required for all 2020 crop year samples, which will add at least 5 days to the germination test.

Why We Mix and Divide

Posted on April 20, 2021

How the Seed Laboratory Obtains Representative Seed Samples

We frequently stress the importance of obtaining a representative sample of your seed lot for testing. This includes sampling intensity and storage of the composite sample. You may not be aware it, but the components of your seed lot or composite sample can separate over time with movement or shipment.

For instance, lighter seeds of a particular kind will make their way towards the top of a sample bag during transit whereas the denser seeds will move towards the bottom. Similarly, seeds of larger size will also separate towards the top of the sample whereas smaller seeds will move toward the bottom.

This type of separation can easily be observed when opening a container of mixed nuts—you will likely notice several nuts of one kind located on the top! In addition, at the bottom of the container you will find the smaller, broken pieces of nuts, much of which would be classified as inert matter in seed testing.

So, what does all of this mean? Much like the importance in sampling of your seed lot, we want to ensure that the testing that takes place in the lab is also representative. To achieve this, we obtain the required amount of a working sub-sample for purity analysis through a process called mixing and dividing.

Prior to testing, each sample is thoroughly mixed by passing the entire sample through a calibrated divider three times. Following the third passage, sample reduction takes place through successive halving and combination of half-portions until the required minimum working weight for the particular kind is obtained.

For instance, after mixing, a 1000-gram wheat sample will be divided down to obtain a minimum of 500 grams for the noxious exam. From this noxious portion, a minimum of 100 grams will be divided out to conduct the purity analysis, in which the component percentages used for labeling are determined. Altogether, this process of mixing and dividing provides randomization of the sample while eliminating bias and it lays the foundation for subsequent tests.

Job Opportunity for Seed Lab Technician

Posted on February 4, 2021

Minnesota Crop Improvement Association is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seed Lab Technician. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and full benefits. MCIA’s Seed Laboratory operates out of MCIA’s main office on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. For more information, read the full position announcement on our job openings page

Job Opportunity for Seed Technologist

Posted on December 16, 2020

Minnesota Crop Improvement Association is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seed Technologist. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and full benefits. MCIA’s Seed Laboratory operates out of MCIA’s main office on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Saint Paul. For more information, read the full position announcement on our job openings page.