MCIA’s Seed Laboratory Manager, Chase Mowry, reflects on the year past:
2021 has been a little different, to say the least. From continuing to navigate operations during the Covid-19 pandemic to uncertainties in crop yields, the impact of such challenges cannot be overstated.
Despite the drought conditions faced by growers this past season, the number of samples submitted for testing since July 1 is nearly 950, with good quality shown overall. Disease issues in samples tested has been relatively low so far, with only a few small grain lots displaying minor Fusarium (scab) infection. Soybean samples with lower germinations have primarily been the result of mechanical damage, although some disease presence has been noted as well. A preliminary germination or TZ test may help you in early assessment of the quality of your lots.
We have also recently received samples from Associate Professor and Extension Agronomist Seth Naeve. This will be the fourth year in which the Seed Laboratory has aided in the identification of seed contaminants from soybean screenings collected from plots grown across the United States. Information regarding Naeve’s ongoing project, including seed quality reports and videos on managing foreign material, can be found on the Soybean Seed Quality page of the UMN Extension website: extension.umn.edu/soybean/soybean-seed-quality.
As a reminder, be sure to include a Sampling Report for each sample submitted for testing, even when requesting a germination update. This allows us to assign a unique report number to the sample being tested, as well as process samples with greater throughput. Please use the new version of the Sampling Report, which is available on the Client Resources page of the MCIA website, www.mncia.org/resources.