34 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2019 I REMEMBER WHEN there was no provision for standard- ized methods for seed vigour. It took a lot of foresight and hard work with our international partner, the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), to convince our government agencies and seedsmen to adopt vigour testing into the rules. Seed testing professionals made it clear that farm- ers needed a standardized vigour test, and that was the beginning of vigour becoming a standard procedure. It was a momentous day when the vote for vigour was brought into the rules in South Africa in 1997. We were the first seed lab in Canada to be accredited. The ISTA laboratory accreditation standard provides a mechanism to accredit and audit seed testing laborato- ries. The ISTA Proficiency Test program is mandatory for ISTA-accredited laboratories and provides an independent measure of a laboratory’s ability to achieve uniform and consistent results. To become ISTA-accredited takes a commitment to a quality process that has been researched and documented. Today it is much easier to begin the process as non- government laboratories can apply for accreditation. Member but non-accredited laboratories can participate SEED HEALTH & TESTING SEED TESTING STANDARDS KEY TO FOOD SECURITY Sarah Foster, President and Senior Seed Analyst sarah@2020seedlabs.ca • 2020seedlabs.ca free as volunteers to gain experience and measure their performance relative to other accredited labs before they formally begin the accreditation process. Founded in 1924 with the aim to develop and publish standard procedures in the field of seed testing, ISTA is inextricably linked with the history of global seed testing. With member laboratories in over 70 countries/distinct economies worldwide, ISTA membership is truly a global network. ISTA members, of which I’m one, work together to achieve their vision of uniformity in seed quality evalu- ation worldwide. ISTA produces internationally agreed- upon rules for seed sampling and testing, accredits laboratories, promotes research, provides international seed analysis certificates and training, and disseminates knowledge in seed science and technology. This facilitates seed trading nationally and internationally, and also con- tributes to food security. Using standard methods is the key to giving our clients more confidence in the results they’re getting. I believe ISTA will become important worldwide as time goes on, as they accredit more labs and bring everyone onside in conducting standardized testing. THE F WORD in this article may not be what you’re thinking. I regularly talk to growers about seed treatments, and the word I use in every conversation is “Formulation”. This word explains the key to a good seed treatment product. For a seed treatment to provide value and do what it’s supposed to do, it has to be formulated well. Seed treat- ment formulation consists of three key components: • Viscosity: This simply means the thickness of the seed treatment and determines how well it flows for you. Seed treatments are like engine oil and can vary in viscosity depending on the temperature and the product you’re using. You don’t want it to fluctuate drastically with the weather, as too far either way and it won’t apply at the proper rate to your seed, causing you to recalibrate in order to apply correct rates. • Flowability: A seed treatment’s flowability on your seed is the second crucial component of a formulation. Usually untreated seed flows better than treated seed; however, a good seed treatment should enable your seed SEED TREATMENT WHY I USE THE F WORD WHEN TALKING SEED TREATMENTS Brittnye Kroeker, SeedGrowth Specialist, Bayer Canada brittnye.kroeker@bayer.com • bayer.ca to flow well through your auger and drill. Having the proper flow of seed gives you the uniform seeding rate that results in a uniform plant stand. • Adherence to the Seed: A good formulation should allow for proper adherence to the seed and should keep dustoff to an absolute minimum. A microdispersion formulation can provide great results for all three of the above formulation proper- ties. It also promotes even distribution of active ingredi- ents throughout the seed treatment product so you can achieve consistent coverage on each seed. Each active ingredient may control a different disease, so it’s impor- tant to ensure some of each active is equally applied to all seeds, using the seed treatment to its fullest potential. The factors above are just a fraction of the elements Bayer takes into consideration when formulating seed treatments for the Canadian grower and are key compo- nents to keep in mind when selecting your seed treatment for the next growing season.