Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84JANUARY 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 43 WHY IS TRACEABILITY important in plant breeding? One big reason: pat- ented genes. When used in breeding, you need to prove by audit what gene is used where, and its presence in a given genetic background. This will determine royalty payments to the company owning the gene, and hence licensing fees will result. Also, in the wider sense, response to selection is a big reason for the impor- tance of traceability. Can I trace a gene that I need to include in crosses? If GMO is a factor, what crosses involved its use, and which gene from where is involved? Seed companies never know when they might have to trace a gene, espe- cially in these days of seemingly tighter regulation imposed for a variety of rea- sons, some perfectly legitimate and some not so much. Either way, traceability is crucial to business success. All too often, traceability data is stored using Excel sheets or similar software. What does this look like? Considering Excel is a program not meant for plant breeding, not only is it hard to do, it’s prone to error, time consuming, and extremely unpleasant to undertake. Using such improper software could lead to errors that get you sued, and what adds insult to injury in this case is the fact it SOFTWARE/DATA MANAGEMENT Traceability Key to Plant Breeding Success DIETER MULITZE AGRONOMIX PRESIDENT, CEO AND FOUNDER mulitze@agronomix.com • agronomix.com takes a lot more time to prove your case during an audit trial when all you have is a slew of Excel sheets to go by. What if you’re using software designed specifically for plant breeding? The whole process is a lot easier when you have the benefit of a highly relational software system where the presence, absence or variation of a gene can be connected as a descriptor trait to a genotype, to parents of a cross or crosses. Need to instantly know all the plots where genotypes with the gene were grown, what crosses were involved, and all descendants? You’ll know, and you’ll have easy access to the data. It’s worth repeating — traceability is crucial to success in the plant breeding and seed industries. And using good soft- ware can make all the difference between being successful and not. THE SMOOTH-WALLED BIN. The concept might seem simple enough, but it’s important to really understand what it is and its benefits. It’s a fixture of the seed industry, but it’s worth noting its evolution over the years and what it looks like today. First, some history. Grain production began developing in Western Canada in the early 20th century, and along with it, the need for grain storage. As grain elevator storage became harder to come by, farmers had to invest in efficient on- farm storage. Two types of bins would emerge for permanent storage — cor- rugated and smooth-walled. They would go on to be used for more than just grain, becoming integral for seed and fertilizer storage as well. While corrugated bins would be cheaper to buy, smooth-walled bins have emerged as the superior choice. Essentially, a smooth-walled bin is a welded bin used mainly for grain, seed, or fertilizer storage. All bins are designed and engineered for the product being stored. Powder coating is essential for good grain storage, and multi-purpose bins for fertilizer are also powder-coated on the inside to prevent rusting. Quality powder coated smooth-walled bins have excel- lent resale value, and can be purchased as an investment. While a bin might sound like a simple piece of equipment, it is anything but. Powder coating ensures that a bin will be both visually appealing and durable. The paint should be backed by a good war- ranty — five years being the new industry standard. Of course, what happens on the inside of a bin is just as crucial as the quality of its exterior. They are excellent for natural drying of grain using vertical aeration, and are generally the first storage bins that STORAGE AND HANDLING Smooth-Walled Bins: Not Just for Grain Anymore ROB REIMER MERIDIAN MANUFACTURING’S CANADIAN SALES MANAGER rreimer@meridianmfg.com • meridianmfg.com get filled on the farm, as they are easy to load and unload without any shoveling. They clean out completely without any hang-ups, which makes them popular in the seed industry. Technology has come a long way — I have had the pleasure of being involved in the development of an internal vent- ing solution that allows airflow in the bin, and also eliminates any snow or moisture entering the bin at the top. This has been instrumental for helping seed companies protect the temperature and quality of the seed. This type of bin has evolved over the years — a 20-foot diameter bin that holds up to 10,700 bushels can now be found on the market. The smooth-walled bin will continue to evolve as time goes on and industry needs change. “It’s worth repeating — traceability is crucial to success in the plant breeding and seed industries.”