The 2006 crop year was characterized by hotter and dryer conditions than normal throughout much of the U.S. Mid West. As a result, some seed fill problems resulted in a less than abundant supply of warm season native grasses to fill market demand. There are reports of seed companies not conditioning the seed as hard in an attempt to salvage as much viable seed as they can. Former “trash” is being re-conditioned to salvage the valuable pure seed that was missed before.

Carry-over inventories were low and the short crop due to drought has resulted in efforts to salvage every possible viable seed. Purity test percentages are lower on average than in previous testing seasons, and seed lots will contain more immature caryopses with lower vigor. Be sure to accurately sample your seed lots and test sub-lots for accurate assessments of PLS to ensure that you don’t oversell your seed supply.

Mid-West Seed Services, Inc. (MWSS) has 7 full-time R.S.T.’s on staff with years of experience in evaluating difficult warm season natives for seed fill and germination, and TZ tests.