74 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2017 WHEN PRODUCING TRAITED seed, trait purity testing is not an option – it’s both a necessity and a requirement by the trait provider. The seed producer has two options for trait purity testing. One option is conducting trait purity testing on the finished seed lots at the time of bagging only. The second option is testing hand- screened samples as they arrive from the field, also known as preliminary testing. If the hand-screened samples meet trait purity requirements, a reduced number of seeds may be tested during finished seed lot trait purity testing. In other words, is it worth the expense to conduct preliminary testing ahead of conditioning? “Trait purity testing has significant value to seed producers apart from their licensing agreements with trait provid- ers,” says Brenda Johnson, Registered Genetic Technologist (RST) and Manager- Operations, Eurofins-US, River Falls, Wisconsin. “Ultimately, the value of seed comes down to how well it yields and per- forms for its end user. This requires that corn seed meets the highest standards for trait and genetic purity. At the same time, seed producers want to manage risk and get the most value from their seed production. For them, knowing an incoming lot’s trait purity can help determined how that seed is sized and conditioned. This is especially important for corn hybrids with male donated traits.” When best practices for seed produc- tion are followed and growing conditions are optimal, the parents nick and pollen is received uniformly throughout the devel- oping ear. But when conditions during pollination are less than ideal – too windy, too hot, too rainy or too dry – the plants do not always nick, and the resulting seed has less than the required male-carried traits. In this sense, no two years are alike, even for the same hybrid. Importance of Preliminary Trait Purity Testing in Corn Seed Production BRENDA JOHNSON DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, EUROFINS BrendaJohnson@eurofinsUS.com • eurofinsus.com “A preliminary trait purity test is a risk assessment tool that provides the informa- tion a seed producer needs to adjust the conditioning process for a seed lot that might otherwise fail its final test,” Johnson says. “Even when field production follows all the best practices, environmental fac- tors can still play a role. The cost of getting the information needed to salvage a seed lot is far less than the cost of discarding seed that fails its final trait purity test.” Johnson says that when a seed lot fails a preliminary trait purity test for a male- donated trait, the deficiency can often be isolated by seed size. Resizing strategies can be used to salvage the portion of a seed lot that meets quality standards. Preliminary trait purity testing provides important information that allows the seed producer to prepare for sizing and condi- tioning operations to maximize the amount of high-quality seed available for sale. SIZE MATTERS, but bigger is not always better. The world is changing to smaller and smaller equipment in most aspects of our lives, especially if you are on the cutting edge. However, it is important to keep in mind that smaller machines do not equal less capacity. Footprint, efficiency and corporate sustainability are three reasons why size matters. Today’s seed treatment plants are often equipped with large size machinery, despite having very little available space. Furthermore, new trends are spread- ing where seeds are treated with more products, adding more value which often requires a seed drying system. Due to this, equipment footprint is vital to each organization within the seed treatment industry. The solution is a more compact seed treater which utilizes space more efficiently. NoroGard seed treaters have become cutting edge technology for the mobile seed treatment industry where it is espe- cially important to use a small space for high capacity equipment. Keeping electric- ity consumption to a minimum is another consideration on mobile seed processors. NoroGard seed treaters were originally designed by a local blacksmith with an aim of using as little material as possible for economic reasons. NoreGard continues to strive to come up with new innovations and solutions to improve corporate sustain- ability and minimize our environmental impact by, for example, minimizing electric- ity consumption with improved designs. Compact seed treaters require less material which saves natural resources and thereby decreases our environmental impact. The third reason why size matters is the cleaning procedures of your seed treat- ment equipment. Not only does cleaning of a compact machine minimize the environ- mental impact by decreasing the amount of contaminated cleaning water to discard, it also provides higher operator safety and improved operator working environment. NoroGard seed treaters have very few moving parts. The compact size makes it easier for operators to safely clean the equipment with less chance of accident or injury. Compact equipment size not only utilizes small spaces more efficiently, it may also provide higher capacity, opportunities to decrease environmental impact, improve corporate sustainability, minimize the amount of contaminated cleaning water and minimize electricity consumption. Find out more about how you can improve your profitability through cor- porate sustainability, visit www.norogard. com/about-norogard/sustainability/. Three Main Reasons Why Size Matters KETTY NILSSON NOROGARD PRESIDENT @NoroGardAB • Ketty@NoroGard.com • NoroGard.com