This year’s top planting seed continues a three-year trend.

Outstanding seedling vigor, and everything that can follow—high-yield potential and high-fiber quality—all begin with seed quality.  This year, growers again will benefit from the seed quality of Emergent Genetics Stoneville^® and NexGen™ brand cotton varieties.

Dr. Bryan Savoy, Director, U.S. Quality Assurance, sees continued momentum in the commitment of Emergent Genetics to provide growers with superior seed quality.  “Results in finished lots to date show 91 percent for the average Standard (Warm) Germination Test, and 81 percent for the average Cool Germination Test, which indicates outstanding germinability and cool vigor.  In comparison, the 2004 germination averages were 90 Warm, and 84 Cool; and the 2003 averages were 89 Warm, and 84 Cool,” Savoy says.

“This year, for example, our stacked Bollgard^®/Roundup Ready^® ST 5599BR averages 93 Warm and 83 Cool.  Additionally, this larger seeded, high-vigor variety averages about 4,200 seeds per pound.  ST 5242BR also exhibits a lot of inherent seed vigor, and it averages about 4,000 seeds per pound.”

Emergent Genetics removes any perceived subjectivity from seed quality testing by providing growers with official third-party results.  The Cool Germination Test and the Standard (Warm) Germination Test for all Stoneville and NexGen brand seed are conducted by the State Seed Testing Laboratory, Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce (MDAC) in Starkville, Mississippi.  Last year, Emergent Genetics began faxing and emailing MDAC Warm and Cool Germination results on its cotton seed lots to its distributor and service center partners following shipment of the seed. 

“In addition to submitting our seed to MDAC testing, we also perform a battery of other tests to ensure that growers’ needs are met,” Savoy says.  “Growers should have the peace of mind knowing that samples from the seed lot they purchase have been germinated three to four times, and checked for transgenic purity two to three times, before the seed lot is released into the marketplace.”

ISO 9001:2000

Emergent Genetics Quality Assurance is the first—and only cotton quality management system in the U.S.—to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification.  ISO 9001:2000 is the worldwide recognized quality management system that industry leaders use to assure consistency of operation, repeatability and customer satisfaction.  “When cotton producers open a bag of Stoneville or NexGen brand cotton seed, they should have the assurance that they are planting the highest quality cotton planting seed available in the industry,” Savoy explains.

Rich in cotton heritage, Emergent Genetics is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, with research & development sites, and seed production facilities located across the United States and internationally.  Stoneville brand cotton was the world’s first commercial genetically-enhanced cotton seed, and the company set a new packaging standard by changing to a 230,000-seed count unit.  Emergent Genetics provides varieties that cotton growers need today to compete in the global cotton economy.

© 2005 Stoneville^® and NexGen™ are trademarks of Emergent Genetics, Inc. 
Bollgard^® and Roundup Ready^® are registered trademarks used under license from Monsanto Technology LLC.