Research is Key to Identifying New Seed Enhancements
Potential new seed enhancements for sugarbeet are entering the marketplace at a steady pace. Suppliers of these products often make unverified claims ranging from improved emergence and faster growth to improved yield and quality. Commonly these products, lack reliable research and include no statistical analysis. Often the claims are based on grower testimonials. Results based on a single trial or location can be misleading and rsearch results often take at least 3 years to determine the efficacy of a new seed enhancement. To improve reliability, research should always be conducted with multiple replications, locations, and environments.
Potential new seed enhancements can come from a varied array of options that address different field challenges. Examples of treatment options may include: seed manipulation, improved coatings, nutrient, hormonal and/or biological as a partial list. For generations, Germains Seed Technology remains as one of the established leaders in developing seed technologies such as XBEET priming, seed coatings, and other new seed enhancements. Germains continues to conduct extensive research and field trials on a multitude of potential seed enhancement products for both sugarbeet and vegetables.
Red River Valley Trial
When developing new seed enhancement products, Seed Technologists must experiment with a variety of factors such as; finding the most effective application rate, best procedure and or timing of applications. Every new seed enhancement requires close monitoring for any positive or negative effects on germination by a trained Research and Development Technician. It is also essential to determine the shelf life of any new product along with its interaction with other commonly used seed treatments.
New Seed Enhancements
Germains Seed Technology is committed to introducing new seed enhancement products that have proven performance both in the lab and field under various conditions. Seed Technicians develop and conduct pre-screenings of potential new treatments starting with a multistep process that begins in the laboratory. If successful in the lab, the research progresses to the greenhouse and or verified by field research evaluations. Field evaluations are extremely important for delivering a product that performs under differing growing conditions. Often this can take three to five years of trials to identify one product out of dozens tested that achieves consistent test results to deem it as a viable seed treatment for the market.
Germains Seed Technology remains committed to delivering high-quality seed enhancement products that are research verified by a third party. It is imperative that field research is conducted and evaluated by professional researchers with strict protocols. In 2018 Germains Seed Technology is conducting ten field trials to test potential new seed enhancements. At this time five field trials are being conducted in Idaho and five in Red River Valley. These trials are contract research field trials managed by the University of Minnesota, American Crystal Sugar Company and SESVanderHave Seed Company. Each trial includes several treatments with 4-6 replications to ensure high-quality trial research with extensive data available for evaluation. Six of the ten trials with the most consistent trial results will be evaluated for emergence, and plant vigor then harvested for yield and quality determinations.
Idaho Trial
Germains goal is to continue introducing new seed enhancements that improve emergence, plant growth and consistency of stands that in the end increase the farm’s profitability. The importance of seeds should never be underestimated. Seed is the foundation of any successful crop. At Germains “We Maximize Natures Potential” by offering seed enhancement products that support your plants before they emerge.