Use of Good Quality Legal Seed

Fawad SHAH, Ph.D.President/CEO Minnesota Crop Improvement Association

Adjunct Associate Professor, Agronomy & Plant Genetics, U of M

Flowering plant's unit of reproduction, capable of developing into

another such plant

The emergence and development from the seed embryo of those

essential structures which, for the kind of seed in question, are

indicative of the ability to produce a normal plant under favorable

conditions

Seed Life Cycle has four stages: Origin in the flower of the mother plan

Development and maturation

Resting stage

Resumption of growth or germination

What is a Seed?

• Certified seed are seed of a known variety produced under strict seed certification standards to maintain varietal Identity and purity

• Certified seed must pass field inspection, conditioned by an approved plant, meet standards for germination, inert matter, seed from other crops, and weed seeds. Must also be free of seed from prohibited noxious weeds

Make genetically pure crop seed available to farmers

Seed Certification

• Seed of know genetic identity and purity• Produced under strict field and seed standards• Fee of prohibited noxious weed seeds, limited quantity of

inert matter, other crop & weed seed• Conditioned in an approved facility• Certified see is required for certain export markets• Not required in the United States, but quite common• USDA research: 1.2 to 2.5 bu/ac yield advantage

Certified Seed does not cost, it pays!

Why use Certified Seed?

• Focused on genetic purity, novelty, and sufficient data to support claims made by plant breeders for the new variety –DUS Criteria: [VCU (value for cultivation & use) UPOV Criteria

• Provide uniformity among certifying agencies as new varieties were developed and grown for certified seed

• VRB members include representatives from seed certification agencies, USDA, and the seed industry

• MCIA involved in variety approval and release process and serves on U of M Variety Review Committee

AOSCA Variety Review Boards

• Combination of characteristics that define potential performance of seed lot, and determine its value.

• Aspects of Seed Quality

• Physical: physical make up of a seed lot• Physiological: physiological state of seed that

influences performance • Genetics: Genetic characteristics of seed variety• Seed Health: Presence of diseases and pests

SEED QUALITY

• Damage: broken, shriveled seed may not germinate, likely to be attacked by insects or micro-organisms

• Weed Seed & Inert Matter: High quality seed should be free of weed seeds, particularly noxious types, chaff, stones, dirt, and seed of other crops

• Uniform Seed Size: Mature medium and large-size seed will generally have higher germination and vigor

• Diseased Seed: Discolored or stained seed are symptoms that seed that may carry micro organisms

Closely examining samples of seed lots is the first step to better understanding the quality of seed

SEED QUALITY: PHYSICAL

• Germination: The germination is an indicator of the ability of the seed to emerge from the soil to produce a plant in the field under favorable conditions

• Vigor: is the capacity of seed to emerge from the soil and survive under potentially stressful field conditions and to grow rapidly under wide range of field conditions

• Loss of a seed’s ability to germinate is the last step in a long process of deterioration. Decrease in seed vigor and other physiological changes happen before loss of germination. Hence, seed with acceptable germination can be low in vigor

SEED QUALITY: PHYSIOLOGICAL

• Plants produced by seeds of a variety exhibit the same characteristics and those characteristics are reproducible from one generation to another

• Cultivar (cultivated variety) is an assemblage of cultivated plants which is clearly distinguished by any characteristics (morphological, physiological, cytological, chemical or others) and which, when reproduced (sexually or asexually) retains its distinguishing characters

Yield, disease / pest tolerance, adaptability, value added aspects, i.e., protein, oil, contents, etc.

SEED QUALITY: GENETIC

• Presence or absence of disease-causing organisms, such as fungi, bacteria and viruses, and pests, including nematodes and insects. Seed health testing can be carried out in seed laboratories

• The diseases initially present in the seed may give rise to progressive disease development in the field and reduce the commercial value of the crop

• Imported seed lots may introduce diseases or pests into new regions (Phytosanitary Certificates)

SEED QUALITY: HEALTH

• The most important attribute of quality is viability & vigor

• Trueness to variety; the presence of inert matter, seed of other crops, or weed seed; germination percentage; vigor; appearance; and freedom from disease are important aspects of seed quality. High-quality seed lots should meet minimum standards for each of these characteristics

• Seed quality plays a vital role in crop production

SEED QUALITY

• Germination and vigor are at their highest potential when the seed reaches physiological maturity

• Seed moisture is so high, most crops are not ready to be harvested at that time

• Seed harvested as soon as the moisture content decreases to a safe level for harvest or storage

• After physiological maturity, germination potential and vigor begin to decrease, and can rapidly decrease after seed reach field/harvest maturity

MAXIMUM SEED QUALITY

• The rate of deterioration depends on the weather environment during maturation

• Harvesting, conditioning, transportation, and storage practices all impact seed quality

• Seed can deteriorate rapidly if excessive damage occurs during harvesting and conditioning

• Proper moisture content at harvest, and adjusting the combine during harvest can minimize mechanical injury

• Relative Humidity and Temperature influence the life span

FACTORS AFFECTING SEED QUALITY

• Cover crops cover the soil between harvest of one crop and planting of the next

• Offer short and long term benefits

• Protects soil from erosion, retain nutrients, increase organic matter, and reduces water runoffs

• Breaks up soil compaction and suppress weeds by competing for nutrients, sunlight and space

• Government programs offer monetary assistance – cost share

Use of Cover Crops - Benefits

• Seed quality is of the essence!

• Poor quality cover crop seed germinate poorly and may not provide the needed ground cover

• Seed of unknown quality may contain noxious weed seed that can establish on a farm where such seed did not exit before

• Eradication of accidently introduced weeds such as Palmer amaranth can pose unprecedented challenge long after the cover crop season is over

Use of Cover Crops - Watchouts

• Small grain or other species used for cover crops seed may be protected by Plant Variety Protection (PVP). The PVP Act signed into law in 1970, amended in 1994

• Provides intellectual property protection to breeder of varieties of seed and tuber propagated plants

• A PVP Title V variety can be only sold as– Variety Name– A Class of Certified Seed

• Uncertified seed sale or distribution of a PVP Tile V protected variety is a violation of the PVP Act

Use of Cover Crops - Watchouts

• Sale of grain for use as seed invokes the MN Seed Law, buying grain from an elevator for the purpose of sowing is illegal

• Seed offered for sale must be conditioned, a representative sample tested for purity and germination, and accurately labeled – retain file sample for a year

• Person or company labeling seed for sale must have a Minnesota Seed Permit

• Complete records regarding each lot must be kept on file for three years

MN Seed Law

• The university loses fees through illegal sale of its PVPprotected varieties – VDF is used to finance research and develop new and improved varieties of plants

• MCIA loses certification acres and fees by not having PVPTitle V varieties applied for certification

• Discourages growers that abide by the law and do the right thing – creates stress among law abiding growers

Intellectual property rights Losses

• MCIA, University of Minnesota and MDA have joined in an effort to address illegal sale of PVP protected varieties

• Investigate complaints about activities of illegal sale

• Process includes collection of pertinent evidence, including purchase of seed, verbal / written documentation, receipt, retaining seed sample, legal sale of seed as grain, confirmation of the variety sold through genetic testing, and confronting the violator in a legal manner (court or out of court settlement)

• Currently two cases are under investigation

MCIA – U of M – MDA Collaboration

• Seed quality is important no matter if its used for cover crops

• Seed should be properly labeled prior to sale

• Seed should be free of prohibited noxious weed seeds

• MN Seed Law prohibits use of grain as seed

• Ask the variety of seed, it may be a PVP protected variety

• PVP Title V variety must be sold as: a) variety name and, b) class of certified seed

Take aways…

Questions/Comments