Farmers Reminded About the Importance Of Seed Quality And Seed Testing

Jan 31, 2022

The drought and heat stress over the 2021 growing season has resulted in shriveled and small grain that was harvest this fall. The stresses have led to concerns over seed quality for the 2022 growing season. Producers who plan on using farm saved seed should send in samples and test their grain to determine how it will perform for the upcoming growing season. Due to the widespread nature of the drought, certified seed availability may be more limited. Testing as early as possible will give producers more time to find a quality seed source.

Producers should be testing for germination, vigour, thousand kernel weight (TKW) and test for seed borne diseases. Germination tests of a particular seed lot evaluates the percentage of seeds that will grow under ideal environmental conditions. Vigour will indicate how well the seed will perform under stressful growing conditions. Together, germination and vigour will provide producers a good indication how well the seed will perform. When looking at seed test results, a seed lot is considered to have high germination levels when the germination percentage is above 90%. The smaller the gap between percent germination and percent vigour, the more sound the seed. TKW determines the seed size, which is vital when calculating seeding rates to target the optimum plant populations. Finally, testing to assess levels of seed borne diseases helps to limit the introduction of pathogens into a field and prevent early establishment of disease.

If seed test results come back with poor quality seed, it is best practice to source a better quality seed, if possible. Due to the drought, producers should have a plan B for seed variety choice, as popular varieties sell out quickly. If producers choose to use the seed they currently have that has lower germination, seeding rates will need to be increased to reach the target plants per square foot for the given crop. Seed treatments should also be considered under circumstances with high disease percentage or low germination. Seed treatments help with the survivability of the seed by protecting the seed from pathogens of concern.

If producers are looking for a laboratory to send their seed for testing, they should make sure their seed is sent to an accredited seed lab. A full list of accredited seed labs within the province can be found on the Canadian Seed Institute website: Accredited Labs | Canadian Seed Institute - Centre for Systems Integration (csi-ics.com).

For more information on seed quality and seed testing, please reach out to your local Crops Extension Specialist or call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.