Australia
May 25, 2020
While it is still some time away, preparation for the 2020-21 cotton season begins with the review of inputs, including cotton seed. For some growers, the 2019-20 season may have been smaller than originally planned and as a result, they may have carry over seed stored for a future season.
Whether it be a handful of bags or a number of pallets, seed is a living organism and its quality will decline over time leading to lower germination and vigour. Therefore, it is important that all carryover planting seed be tested each season.
The style and standard of storage can greatly influence the rate of quality decline, as well as the seed’s exposure to high temperatures and humidity. For example, seed which is stored in basic shipping containers sitting out in the open, or in farm sheds close to a western wall, can be subjected to extreme temperatures during summer, resulting in a significant loss of quality.
CSD provides all agents with a free retesting service, and encourages samples of both grower and agent seed to be submitted prior to mid-July to avoid processing delays. As the volume of new product from the CSD production lines (which is tested prior to dispatch) climbs exponentially from August onwards, the CSD Laboratory becomes extremely busy during this period. As it is, the testing procedure involves a minimum ten-day cycle, so May and June is the ideal time for these samples to be arriving at CSD.
It is important that agents submit samples for testing using the protocols available online at www.csd.net.au/agent-portal. Growers should contact their local agent to coordinate seed retesting.
It is important to note that results from these tests do not indicate expected field establishment but should be used as a guide when making planting decisions (e.g. planting rate). All germination tests are conducted under the rules for seed testing as described by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and/or the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA).
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