Good quality planting seed is the first step to a successful season. While farmers can’t control factors like weather or markets, using quality seed is a key production factor you can control.
Characteristics such as faithfulness to variety, germination percentage, seed vigour as well as purity and hygiene can all impact the quality of your seed, and as a result, the profitability of your next crop.
Whether you find yourself retaining your own seed for planting or buying it certified from a dealer, these are the ultimate factors that affect seed quality and what you need to know before you grow.
Germination
The germination rate of seed is often the first characteristic growers will look at when measuring a seed’s overall quality.
Any seed to be used for planting should be germination tested which can be done in the lab or at home. Laboratory tested seed is preferred as the level of accuracy is very high. Home testing seed (as outlined below) should be used as a rough guide only.
- Simply collect and count approximately 100 seeds from each lot to be planted.
- Lay the seed between moist paper towels before placing in a sealed plastic bag and leaving them for five to seven days in a warm place.
- Finally, determine the germination percentage (GP) by counting the number of seeds that have not germinated. GP = seeds germinated/total seeds x 100.
Industry standards generally support that a germination percentage of 80 per cent at seeding is considered acceptable.
Varietal purity
Good quality seed should also be true to its variety.
A pure seed variety adapted to your area of production with disease and insect resistance, along with other desirable characteristics all adds up to better quality seed.
If you’re buying in seed, seed certification agencies and dealers use field inspection programs to maintain varietal purity and you can check the back of the bag for guaranteed seed purity rates. It’s also a good idea to keep up to date with new and improved varieties for your region by referring to the GRDC Crop variety guide.
Physical purity
The physical purity of the planting seed is another factor that is important to pay attention to.
Planting seed should be free from other crop seed, weed seed, debris and inert matter. Lack of physical purity will cause yield losses due to competition of other seeds and loss of production.
If you’re using farm-saved seed, it will be up to you to ensure the physical composition of your seed is not compromised. If you’re buying seed from a reputable dealer however, the certification process also includes strict limitations on the amount of weed and other kinds of crop seed allowed.
Optimum moisture content
Moisture levels at harvest and in storage also impact seed quality.
High grain moisture, especially when combined with high temperatures, increases the risk of insect infestation and mould, and reduces germination.
High moisture content is most often caused by wet conditions around harvest time. When the grain is subjected to wetting it will absorb moisture and start the germination process.
It’s recommended that harvested grain is maintained at a maximum 12 per cent moisture content. If you’re retaining your own seed, moisture levels can be controlled by early harvesting to avoid rainfall, drying grain before storage and using aeration systems in storage.
Free from pest and disease
Finally, quality seed should also be free from pest and disease.
If you’re retaining seed for planting, the correct storage of your planting seed is the first line of defence in controlling pest and disease damage.
You’ll learn more about how to correctly store your grain in our article, Tips for storing grain this harvest. It’s also recommended to apply a registered grain protectant treatment to seed at harvest time and if required use a seed dressing to reduce the occurrence of disease or early insect infestation.
H2 certified seed
It’s worth mentioning that seed certification is ultimately the best way for ensuring seed quality and peace of mind.
Buying certified seed from a reputable dealer gives you strong documentation that your seed is processed and treated to very high levels of accuracy. Be sure to ask the seller for a statement of seed analysis and check it has been treated under the Australian Seed Federation’s National Code of Practice for the Use of Seed Treatments. This will ensure the seed has been treated safely and accurately in accordance with current regulatory and industry best practice methods. When buying certified it’s also recommended to check the seed lot and batch label on the seed bag and what the seed is coated with.
Achieving and maintaining high seed quality should be the goal of every farmer. Using top quality planting seed is the first line of defence against the general challenges of grain production and will help ensure a successful crop. While there is always a temptation to purchase certified seed every few years and save seed from the initial crop for replanting, it can compromise your planting seed’s quality. There are so many factors that we can’t control when it comes to farming, it makes good sense to take advantage of the ones we can.
