b'PARTNER CONTENTTHREE WORDS TO REMEMBER IN 2020Morgan Webb of Seed Check offers up an easy-to-remember strategy for ensuring 2019s wacky weather poses minimal risk to your plans in 2020.Marc ZienkiewiczONCE AGAIN,2019 had it all in terms ofVigourweather.Vigour is a way to tell how seed-The southern parts of Albertalots of similar germination compare and Saskatchewan experienced drywhen conditions are not favourable, conditions. The northern part ofwhich lots will retain their potential the Prairies saw too much mois- after storage, which lots will come ture, especially during the end ofout of the ground uniformly, and September. which ones will establish a good What are growers to do with thisstand of plants in the field.sort of unpredictability? There are a number of vigour tests According to Morgan Webb of theincluding the tetrazolium test and the Alberta-based Seed Check, two things. accelerated aging test.The first: get used to it. A vigour test can predict storabil-Webb says this sort of unpredict- ity, because vigour drops off before able weather is only becoming moregermination does, Webb says.common.Its a trend thats affecting eve- Germinationryone. Wet harvests are becomingThe object of germination testing is more common, he says. A wetto determine the maximum germina-harvest will cause issues with stor- tion potential of the seed. Laboratory ability, dormancy, vigour problemsmethods have evolved in which and fungal problems. Or, we arein or on seed, but it is important tocontrolled conditions are used to give seeing the oppositewet springs.know if you have one or more thatrapid and complete germination for What happens with a wet spring isare. Seed may contain plant patho- the majority of samples of a particu-you end up with a shortened grow- gens or agents that cause diseaselar species. ing season. You open yourself up toin plants. These diseases may affectSeed germination in seed labo-more frost damage and things notstorage, vigour, germination, marketratory practice is defined as the maturing properly, which also affectsavailability, harvest yield, seedemergence and development from the seed vigour. appearance, or contain toxins.seed embryo those essential struc-The second thing you can do? UsePlant pathogens include fungus,tures which are indicative of the abil-three seed testing tools to help miti- bacteria, viruses, and nematodes.ity to produce a useful, mature plant gate the effects of extreme weatherWhen you plant infected seed youunder favourable field conditions.events. distribute these evenly throughoutThe seed analyst plants pure seed Webb says to commit these threeyour land. It is important to knowunder prescribed conditions for the words to memory: disease, vigourwhat level of these you may have.species being tested. The seeds are and germination. When levels of disease are high itincubated for the prescribed period Those are three tests Id get rightmay be important to seek out a dif- of time before the seed analyst evalu-now before the 2020 season evenferent source of seed for planting. Itates the test.begins, he says. also may be very helpful in choosingWebb recommends performing a Heres a rundown of these threea seed treatment. Most importantly isthousand-kernel weight test after the tests and what they offer. to not introduce plant diseases youseed has been cleaned. This can help do not already have. Many of theseyou determine your ideal seeding rate Disease can persist in soil or on trash andwhich will allow you to get the most The object of seed pathology testingbecome a problem for many years. out of your seed come spring of 2020.is to determine the health of the seedBest of all, if your seed is freeFor more info visit seedcheck.net! lot for use in planting. Plant diseasesof disease, you dont have to re-test are known to greatly reduce yield.it for disease in the spring, Webb Not all plant diseases are containedadds.NOVEMBER 2019GERMINATION.CA 25'