b'TECHNOLOGY HONORABLE MENTIONSPalmer Amaranth Detector Test, 20/20 Seed Labs The BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY Planter September 2022 Box, Meristem Crop Performance/The Elliot How many invasive weed species do you see inGroupthe field every year? Without seed testing, it canSeptember 2022be difficult to identify weed species in your seedThe BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY Planter Box before they hit the field. But, thats why testingDelivery System is a revolutionary packaging facilities are coming up with new tests and mark- system designed to carry, protect, and dispense up ersto protect not only the seed companysto three different biologicals, plus micronutrients, investments, but growers fields to produce theinto a talc/graphite seed lubricant blend for con-best product possible with no preventative issues. venient, full-strength deployment at the point of Thats one thing that 20/20 Seed Labs hopesplanting, thereby improving efficacy and conveni-to do with their new testing producta Palmerence. It allows many products to work together amaranth molecular test. Palmer amaranth iseffectively as a single productit means more an annual plant native to the arid southwesternvigor and vitality in the furrow, as well as integrat-United States and northwestern Mexico, accordinging the system into a seed lubricant the farmer to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. It is aalready is used to using.traditional food of Native Americans including the Navajo, Pima, Yuma and Mohave. Its life cycle is adapted to desert conditions; it will germinate andDouble Team Sorghum Cropping Solution, grow to quickly produce abundant seed whenS&W Seed Companywater is available. Palmer amaranth was acciden- November 2021, doubleteamsorghum.comtally introduced to the southeastern U.S, and hasThe Double Team Sorghum Cropping Solution is a proliferated since. It is classified as a noxious weed in the U.S. and Canada, duecollaboration between S&W Seed Co. and ADAMA to its highly invasive nature and resistance to multiple classes of herbicides. ItsUS designed to provide U.S.-based growers the a challenge to control and can outcompete crops, causing extensive loss. best sorghum grass weed control available. Double It is extremely difficult to visually differentiate species in the AmaranthusTeam is comprised of two components: DT genus, especially at the seed level, says Kim Kenward, research and develop- Trait sorghum from S&W Seed Co. and FirstAct ment manager of 20/20 Seed Labs. Several Amaranthus species, commonlyherbicide from ADAMA. Used together, the DT referred to as pigweed, are known to be present in Canada. If found in a purityTrait sorghum and FirstAct herbicide give growers analysis they are collectively listed as Amaranthus sp. with the number of seedunprecedented over-the-top control of common found. With this new test, the identified Amaranthus species are segregatedgrass weeds that are responsible for reducing yield by the Purity Analyst into groups of up to 25 seeds. We extract DNA fromand profitability. It offers sorghum growers a set each group and look for a specific DNA marker to determine if any Palmerof benefits to maximize grass weed control andAmaranth is present. A second test result is then added to the report indicatingboost yields and profits for the future.the number of seed tested and the presence/absence of Palmer Amaranth.The new test from 20/20 Seed Labs hopes to quickly identify Palmer ama-ranth in seed lots before it makes it to the field. Cold Test for Early Planted Corn, SoDak LabsIts a rapid and accurate method to support seed purity analysis, saysJuly 2022Sarah Foster, president of 20/20 Seed Labs. Growers can be confident inSoDak Labss new tool is a 40 F cold test for early knowing they are not introducing Palmer amaranth. planted corn, which provides a new tool for seed Bulk testing of Amaranthus seed for Palmer Amaranth presence is morecorn companies to test hybrids and seed lot toler-efficient and convenient than previous methods which relied on sequencing ofance to the imbibitional chilling shock of 40-42 individual seed to identify species.It supplements the existing physical purityF under aerobic field conditions. As corn grow-standard, enabling a more precise identification than previously possible, anders continue to push corn planting earlier, SoDak works across crop types, Kenward says. believes this test will replace the 50 F cold meth-But, the key factor here is in the future, 20/20 hopes to see this test pro- ods currently used in seed testing labs to become mote more molecular testing for the future. Both for Palmer amaranth and foron the standards for rating seed corn vigor and the general use in expanding the specificity of purity identifications. early season performance. 38/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2023'