b'The Mystery BehindCHAD GEATER the Seed WheelSENIOR PROJECT LEAD, GREENLEAF GENETICSCONTROLLING SEED FLOWis a critical component during continuous chad.geater@syngenta.comsyngenta-us.com/greenleaf- seed treatment applications, and its been no easy feat over the years, as you geneticscs have to know and depend on your flow rate to calibrate your liquid pump at the proper rate.In the early days, this was done with a manually adjusted gate, that would be set to a certain point, and then a known quantity of seed would be timed Analytics and expertise: Howas it flowed through the treater. This was used to determine pounds per minute seed flow rate and then the liquid pumps were calibrated to apply the to build a winning lineup seed treatment at a corresponding rate. When the seed wheel came onto the market, it undoubtedly increased efficiency and accuracy, as it allowed a user to set a treatment rate, based on a seed wheel cup weight, to a certain WHAT DO CORN PORTFOLIOSand footballset point without having to pull out a stop watch and time the seed. It was the lineups have in common? Product development isnewest technology, and it was revolutionary. But that was 15-20 years ago.a lot like assembling a winning team. As you well know, technology moves in leaps and bounds and the seed Every NFL team employs an analytics pro whotreatment industry is no exception.dissects statistics to build a promising squad and,The seed wheel continues to be a huge part of the seed treatment world in much the same way, we analyze reams of dataand there is still a place for it. But when you are treating and relying solely on a in our quest to deliver products every season thatseed wheel, youre really running blind. Any seed treater that does not report meet the needs of growers and our licensees. back on the known amount of seed that was treated does not have a trusted Plant breeders today can access trial resultsbaseline to ensure that the treatment is/was applied accurately. plus a range of diverse datafrom soil types andWhen we think about the limitations, we have to recognize the seed wheel weather patterns to cultural practices and geno- is just a motor thats running and the rpm of the motor is what is delivering typic information. This information helps us evalu- the set rate of seed. Theres a sensor to know if seed is above the seed wheel, ate hybrids coming through the pipeline and makebut thats it. If the sensor thinks it sees seed and theres no seed there, it will better decisions throughout the breeding process.continue turning, and the pumps will continue pumping.Having an abundance of data is great, but itI can give a number of examples, but ultimately, we are talking about the doesnt mean much if it has flaws. So whats theuser doing a calibration for every different seed size, for every different variety best way to dissect that data? Collaboratively, ofand inputting that into the system. As soon as they dont do that, the seed course. Just as a head coach or general managerwheel loses its ability to be accurate. relies on the expertise of scouts, trainers, andTheres a better way to metering seed. analysts to help him or her assemble a great team,Using loss-in-weight technology and automation, we can leverage a cali-we cant make good product decisions without abrated and certifiedlegal-for-trade scale to control seed flow. The pumps variety of perspectivesthe combination of datarespond in real time to match the actual seed flow and expertise result in improved performance.rate. As an operator you can have confidence When its time to review trial results every fall,in the flow rate, because its determined our team strongly resembles that of an NFL warreal-time by a legal-for-trade scale. When room during draft week.In that room are productsomething goes wrong you know it. And scientists who bring all the data and expert obser- when all is right, youve got the proof vations along with seed production researchersand can report that to management and who ensure products will be profitable to licensees.customers.The key account leads, serve as scouts for the organization. They know their customers needs, plus they have an excellent understanding of the playersthe experimental hybridsand how they can fit into a licensees portfolio. Over time, the availability of data and skill setsJASON KAEB of our players have increased, and that allows usDIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, KSI CONVEYORSto develop better solutions for agriculture. My data @jasonkaeb_ksisuggests that will only continue to improve. JasonKaeb@ksiconveyors.comKSiConveyors.com48/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2019'