b'PARTNER CONTENTNEXT PLANTING SEASON,YOU HAVE A CHOICESeed quality is up as we head into the new year. One expert says that will make a lot of peoples jobs easier, but its imperative to keep testing in mind.IN 2021,people can afford to be choosy.Thats according to Morgan Webb, president and senior seed analyst at Seed Check Technologies.Seed quality was, on the whole, very good in 2020. For once, many growers have a good choice between seed lots as opposed to having to choose between poor or mediocre ones, Webb says. Its more exciting to choose between great lots than trying to find one that is just accept-able.Why is seed quality up? A few reasons.Less dormancy. Temperatures were warmer on average in 2020, meaning seed didnt enter into the dormancy phase as readily. Seed quality is up for the 2021 season, says Morgan Webb of Seed Check.Less moisture damage. Many parts of the Prairies tended to be drier thanon a germination test, but they usedConsider everything. Dont pick in past years. another lab and got 88. Things canjust the highest numbers, Webb Little frost damage. Early frostsvary between labs, even betweenadvises. Pick based on great vigour, didnt manifest in many areas, mean- different parts of the same seed lot.germination, everything. And then ing less damage to crops and happierPeople need to know that with atest again in the spring. Someone growers as a result. vigour result that comes in betweensaid to me, If you had a $10,000 With so many good lots to choose88 and 93, thats just not a statisticallycheque under a rock on top of a bin, from, Webb has some tips when itsignificant difference. wouldnt you check once in a while comes to choosing which seed lots toWhat about disease? Even withto make sure its still there? Even if plant and which to not. disease test results, if you have 0.5%you get good test results in the fall, Dont just focus on one number. Itfusarium or 2% ascochyta on pea,check again in the spring to ensure might make sense to go with a seedit might be more important to takethe seed didnt degrade significantly lot that has the best test results, butanother sample and check againover the winter. Its a small invest-Webb says its not that simple. Whenand average them, rather than worryment and tell tells you a lot about we deal with living things, theresabout 2% between different germina- your seed health.a variance or tolerance we apply. Ition tests. Average those two and youFor more info visit seedcheck.net. had a call from someone who had 93have your planting number.JANUARY 2021 GERMINATION.CA 21'