Warm germination seed testing is the industry standard for soybean seed quality reporting.
There are currently no vigor testing standards for soybean seed.
Vigor tests are difficult to replicate, and the results are challenging to implement due to variable environmental conditions.
Planting Soybeans Earlier and Quality Testing
In recent years, popularity for planting soybeans earlier has increased. With this there has been a fair amount of interest in seed and vigor testing for soybeans. Currently, there are standard protocols set following the Association of Official Seed Analysts rules for testing seeds for germination and purity, but there is not standard protocol for seed vigor testing.
The quality of soybean seed is largely influenced by the growing conditions of the seed production field. Drought, rapid harvest dry-down, disease and insect damage all contribute to potential seed quality issues. Thin and fragile seed coats can lead to seed quality issues such as damaged seed coats, lower germination and poor seed appearance. The industry standard warm germination rate is 85%. However, Golden Harvest strives for 90% germination rates for all soybeans.
Current Soybean Seed Quality Standards
Golden Harvest utilizes a variety of quality control tests to evaluate soybean seed quality for conditioning and product release. The main tests utilized are the standard warm germination test, seed moisture and the hypochlorite (bleach) soak test. These tests are used to evaluate the physiological potential and mechanical damage potential for each seed lot. For certain later maturity varieties, the accelerated aging test is added to assess the potential stress of putting seed into storage conditions under less-than-ideal temperature and humidity.
Figure 1. Warm germination paper towel testThere have been many attempts over the years to utilize a vigor test for assessing soybean quality. As with all vigor tests, the repeatability and correlation to field emergence have been the priority. There are currently no industry-wide standards for testing protocols and reporting for soybean vigor testing. Vigor testing results from third-party labs may be interpreted inconsistently and may not be representative of what will happen in the field. Many factors affect soybean seeds when planted into less-than-ideal conditions that cannot be mimicked in a laboratory test. Internal data from Golden Harvest® Agronomy in Action field trials indicate that the warm germination test continues to be the best predictor of seed quality and stand establishment.
Soybean Management and Seed Treatment Considerations
Planting soybeans early is beneficial only when soil and weather conditions are suitable. Planting into cool soils can delay germination and emergence. Cool, wet soils can expose soybeans to imbibitional chilling, which can cause seedling damage and decrease emergence. To avoid this type of risk, avoid planting soybean seed when soil temperatures are below 50°F, and avoid planting when rain is imminent within 24 hours after planting.
Figure 2. Warm germination paper towel test Consider using a high-quality soybean seed treatment, and store soybean seed in cooler temperatures with lower humidity before planting to maintain the quality of the seed. Environmental conditions are the primary factors that influence successful soybean emergence and should be mitigated for as much as possible. Soybean seed quality testing ensures high-quality seed for farmers.
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