b'SEED EDUCATIONSeed Quality Testing in the Busy SeasonJESSICA BLAKE Seed Quality Lab ManagerIowa State Seed Science Centerjdwilker@iastate.eduseeds.iastate.eduAS HARVEST WINDSdown, activity in the Seed QualityTiming also matters. Early submissions allow companies to Testing Lab surges. Corn and soybean samples arrive in waves asmake marketing and conditioning decisions well before planting. clients prepare for spring planting. Data accuracy fuels market- Germination tests remain valid for nine months under the Federal ing, performance and compliance success. Seed Act, but many states require newer data, often six months Our lab conducts a variety of tests reflecting seed qualityor less for soybeans, which deteriorate quickly in storage. While including germination, physical purity and trait presence, includ- late submissions dont compromise accuracy, they can affect ing GMO detection. For corn and soybeans, purity results areturnaround if smaller germinators reach capacity. In my 15 years typically ready within 24 hours. Germination and trait tests arehere, weve never delayed corn or soybean tests, though spe-planted within 48 hours, with results available about a week later.cialty crops can face tighter timelines.Turnaround for other crops varies, but clients can monitor pro- Consistency across thousands of samples requires rigorous gress in real time through CySeed Online. standards. Our analysts participate in referee and proficiency One of the biggest slowdowns isnt the testing, its the paper- testing to align with national benchmarks. The lab has held ISO work. Handwritten forms and long lot numbers often lead to9001 certification since 2007 and is now pursuing ISO 17025 errors. We encourage clients to use our e-transfer Excel form soaccreditation, further strengthening our quality assurance.data can upload directly into our system, saving time and mini- At peak season, the lab buzzes with samples streaming in, mizing mistakes. Another common issue is insufficient sampleeveryone moving fast, teamwork driving success. What keeps us size. For corn and soybeans with purity and noxious exams, atgoing are those small moments of wonder: a rare seed mutation, least 500 grams per test are required, though sending a kilograma perfect seedling, or shared excitement under the lights. Each ensures ample material for proper mixing and dividing. sample tells a story and were here to help it grow.PRODUCTIONAI is Improving Your Competitors Seed: Heres How You Can Catch UpJIM SCHWEIGERT President, Gro Alliancejim.schweigert@groalliance.comgroalliance.com@GroAllianceAI IS CHANGINGthe way the world works. But most compa- The imaging cameras take pictures of every individual seed. nies are only using it to complete basic administrative tasks, likeThe AI then runs thousands of calculations and measurements taking meeting notes, summarizing documents, and improvingof those seeds. These include diameter, radius, square root of the internet searches. taper angle, ratio of seed width to length, etc. The thousands of Its time to put the worlds most powerful AI tools to higher- resulting numbers are aggregated and plotted on an x/y graph value work. In fact, your competitors already are! that allows an analysis of the relative distance of individual seeds Gro Alliance launched a partnership with Israel-based Seed-Xin the lot. From that graph, we can determine how to best sort to commercialize its AI technology in the United States. Seed-Xsthe lot to meet the quality threshold the company has requested.GeNee technology combines advanced computer vision, deepExamples of improvements we made are upgrading tomato learning algorithms, and state-of-the-art image classification toseed germination from 77 to 95%, eliminating fish mouth in deliver improved seed quality.cucumber seed, removing GMO contamination from popcorn We applied this suite of technology at our seed improvementseed, and removing inbreds from hybrid watermelon seed.center in Davis, California. since Dec. 2024. In just a few monthsOur seed improvement center in Davis is ground zero for the weve improved seed germination, increased usable plants,future of seed quality. Almost daily we have conversations with removed GMO contamination, sorted inbreds from hybrids andseed companies that have quality issues with lots of new crop eliminated physical damage from commercial seed lots. or carryover seed where all traditional methods of improvement Were improving seed lots across a wide variety of species,have failed. AI is the solution. including tomato, watermelon, peppers, popcorn, cabbage,So, dont let poor seed quality delay the launch of the new cucumber, broccoli, sweet corn and spinach.product, dont let it create a stock-out situation, and dont let The most rewarding aspect of our work is that we are solvingyour competitor fill the market void with their products.real-world problems. This isnt a research project or somethingReach out today to reserve seed improvement time and put a company might have access to in five years. Its here now, andAI to use to improve your seed quality and your business.future-focused seed companies are using it to their advantage.38/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2025'