Originally called the “Fast Green Test”, the Pericarp Damage test is commonly used in many quality assurance programs to determine pericarp (seed coat) integrity, sources of damage to the seed and provide an estimate of seed quality.  It can assist corn seed producers with the following:

(These standard tests should form the basis of your quality assurance and quality improvement program.)

Sweet corn seed quality has traditionally been determined by performing laboratory evaluations utilizing warm germination and cold germination tests.  The resulting germination percentages are then employed to approximate field performance.  These two tests, however, do not always predict field emergence. 

Did you know… that we have a Corn Biotechnology Dictionary within Sample Track^®?  This is a handy quick reference for corn traits and what test(s) should be ordered for each one.

SGS Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. (SGS MWSS) continues to offer quick, accurate, same day service on bulk field harvest samples sent to our Shakeout Laboratory.  Our laboratory can process approximately 30 field bulk samples per day (depending on seed quality) and provide you with easily accessible website results.

Several dent corn seed lots commercially treated with fungicide and seed applied insecticides have expressed decreased tray cold germination test results compared to fungicide only treated tray cold germination percentages.  One theory to the decrease in germination percentages is the concentration of insecticide experienced within the tray cold environment.

The tables below show MWSS testing results from November 15, 2007 through January 15, 2008.  The standard (warm) germination percentages are significantly lower than in the same period of 2006-07.  Cold and saturated colds percentages are also tracking lower from a year ago.  The decreases seen in these tests appear, in part, to an increase in lower quality carryover corn and may also indicate a shift in the timing of sending in carryover seed for testing.  It appears much of the new crop seed is tested, in the bags and ready for shipment.  Carryover seed is being tested earlier than in past years, in greater quantities and, in general, is of lower quality.

Laboratory test results of commercially conditioned and treated dent corn seed lots were compared with field emergence data. 

Seed Loading Analysis Results for Seed Applied Insecticide (SAI)

Laboratory Test and Field Emergence Relationship Study 2007

Funding for this project was provided by Mid-West Seed Services, Inc., Bayer Crop Science and Syngenta Crop Protection.

Forty-six commercially conditioned and SAI treated dent corn seed lots were received for the 2007 seed applied insecticide laboratory and field emergence study.  SAI treated seed lots were to include questionable quality (93%+ warm and 75-85% tray cold tests) and mid-quality SAI treated seed lots (93-95% warm and 85-90% tray cold tests). 

We have received a couple of phone calls on frost damage. 

Is your company looking for quick and accurate corn shakeout numbers from your production fields?   Mid-West Seed Services can help. 

Seed corn quality has looked very good this fall, as we move to more ASAP bagging (i.e. still warm from the drier) we will continue to see occasional seed moisture equilibration issues occurring in October testing. 

Quality Assurance Testing Strategies for Corn Seed Recommended by Mid-West Seed Services, Inc.

Testing Strategies for Seed Corn Exposed to Freezing Temperatures

Once a freeze event occurs, seed corn producers need to determine if seed quality has been affected. If a significant number of fields remain to be harvested after the freeze event, testing may be used to prioritize decisions regarding harvest. If harvesting priority is not an issue, testing can be used to determine if the affected seed lots experienced significant physical or physiological damage.

A multi-laboratory corn referee was performed in the spring of 2003 utilizing eight seed lots, six with mechanical damage (Table 1). Eight different laboratory methods were utilized. The data indicated the number of abnormal seedlings observed may vary depending on the method employed.

To investigate abnormal seedlings obtained from each method an additional study was designed utilizing, eight 50 seed replicates of eight seed lots and six warm germination methods. Significant differences are seen between methods, with a greater number of normal seedlings observed in the 5 day paper towel (T) method and a higher number of mechanically damaged seedlings observed in paper towel (T) 7 day (with and without light) and top of crepe cellulose (TC) methods.