b'CASSIDY MILLIONDIRECTOR OF AG SCIENCE, HELIAE AGRICULTURECMillion@heliae.com JIM SCHWEIGERT www.phycoterra.com PRESIDENT, GRO ALLIANCE @jim_schweigert jim.schweigert@groalliance.comGroAlliance.com5 Ways to Determine the Success of Your Inoculants Labeling Seed Corn Sizes GROWERS KNOWapplyinggence, plant vigor/size, root devel- Round and Flat is Inaccurateinoculants can enhance N-fixation,opment, stand and yield.WE USE Alot of outdated language! Sayings like boost yields, reduce stress, anddial the phone and roll down the window dont protect young crops. But, how do4. Next year, compare inocu- make much sense in a world of smartphones and you know if they worked?lants with test groups. Conduct aautomatic windows. The same is true for how we side-by-side test, or a treated vs.describe seed corn sizes. Calling seed corn round 1. Determine the mode-of-actionuntreated field.or flat just doesnt make sense. of your inoculant. Inoculants sup- For the side-by-side test, plantSeed companies size seed to ensure consistent port seeds for a healthy start. Nota strip or section of the field withspacing and a uniform stand. Most companies size all inoculants alike. Its important totreated seed with inoculants, andseed into four sizes, although some make five or know the function of inoculants toplant untreated seed on an adjacentsix. The results of accurate sizing, paired with more determine performance.section of the same field. Do this atadvanced planters, mean that farmers are getting Inoculants can be classified asmultiple locations in your fields tomore uniform and even stands than ever. In fact, biofertilizers, bioherbicides, biope- get an average across acres.for the 2021 growing season the average singula-sticides, and biocontrol agents.For a treated vs. untreated fieldtion score on seed corn we produced, sized and Depending on the inoculants, thesetest, add inoculants to one field andpackaged was 99.6%! microbial inoculants may promoteleave a different field untreated. Or,The step to separate seed corn into the round plant growth, or play a role inalternatively, divide one field in halfand flat sizes involves using a slotted screen.pest, disease, and weed control.with treated and untreated seeds.This slot is usually 13/64th of an inch wide. Some You cant measure a biofertilizersNote drainage issues, nutrient levels,companies use a slot that is 12/64th or 12.5/64th effectiveness as its ability to wardpest pressure and crop rotationsof an inch. No matter which is used, seed corn is off harmful larva, as deterring peststhat could affect the outcome. called round when it stays on top of the slotted isnt its intended use.screen and called flat when it passes through the 5. Consider a seed microbial food.screen. Therefore, its the width of the kernel that 2. Evaluate field conditions. WhileIf your fields are prone to excessdetermines it categorization, not its shape. This inoculation can protect youngwater, increased salinity or irregu- language can cause problems with farmers.crops from many things, it cantlar temperature, invest in a soil orA bag of seed corn can be a $300+ investment. protect them from everything. seed microbial food to support soilWhen some open a bag and see a kernel that looks Irregular or extreme weather, likestructure and inoculant survival.a little rounded in a bag labeled flats, they get con-flooding, can kill inoculants, such asHealthier soil supports healthiercerned. Its not surprising. In fact, its common for rhizobia. Soil temperature can alsoplants, so your crops can supportsome kernels in a bag labeled flat to look rounded, impact inoculants as dramatic tem- inoculant N-fixation earlier.especially in the smaller grade sizes. The opposite peratures can cause reduced standLook for a seed treatment thatis true for larger sizes. This is why the industry or increased stress.will provide a balanced meal to theshould move from rounds and flats to wides Tilling practices can affect standseed and soil microbes with a highand narrows. These are exact descriptions of the efficacy as stand issues can occurmixability with your current seedresults of seed conditioning. If a kernel is too wide via soil compaction. treatment plan, and proven resultsto pass through a 13/64th slotted screen, it should to support inoculants.be called a wide. If it is narrow enough to pass 3. Make a measurement plan.One year usually isnt enoughthrough, it should be called a narrow.Historical data will inform what istime to determine how well yourDescribing seed corn as wide or narrow would and isnt working when it comesinoculants worked. This data canbetter line up the language of seed corn sizes with to your inoculants. Gather thegive you a baseline to test againstthe way those sizes are achieved and eliminates information you can from this year,next year. Compile your data overthe potential farmer confusion of yesterdays and track the following next year:time to create a successful seedshaped-based terminology.emergence date, evenness of emer- treatment mix for your crops. DECEMBER 2022SEEDWORLD.COM /51'