SGS MWSS Cold Vigor Test

SGS MWSS COLD VIGOR TEST
CORRELATES CLOSELY TO FINAL YIELD

An article, “Know Your Seed Quality”, recently appeared in the Mid-February 2008 issue of Farm Journal that demonstrated the importance of knowing your seed quality.  Seed corn quality is routinely based on three laboratory tests: standard germination, cold and/or saturated cold.  The article suggests that little to no information on seed quality can be obtained from standard warm germination because “all” seed corn tags list 95% germination.  Thus, we need to look to the saturated cold and/or cold tests to accurately inform us of seed quality.  Data has been derived from over 150 samples and three years of Farm Journal Test Plots.  The data presented in Figures 1 and 2 demonstrates the relationship between emergence and yield for the saturated cold test and the cold germination test, respectively.  The central Illinois field plots were planted with a Kinze EdgeVac planter and were replicated.  Yield data was verified by scaled grain carts.  The two graphs presented here were provided by Crop-Tech Consulting.  Figure 1 demonstrates a strong correlation between the saturated cold test and plant a emergence count performed seven days after planting.  Figure 2 demonstrates a strong correlation between the cold germination test and yield.

Figure 1.  Saturated cold germination percentage relationship to field emergence.

Figure 2.  Cold germination percentage relationship to yield.