The Rural Voice, 1981-04, Page 12a qualified lab for a germination test.
then calls in Plant Products. On the
second inspection the federal agent asks
first to see the germination certificate.
Next he draws random samples from the
bags and subjects them to meticulous
examination.
"He sometimes finds things we don't
want him to see", Bob jokes.
This may include other type seed, i.e.
barley in wheat, or weed seed categorized
as - prohibited noxious, primary and
secondary noxious. The first group.
encompassing such pests as wild oats.
field bindweed, twitch. yellow rocket and
wild mustard, radish and carrot. has a
zero tolerance; the remaining groups
have quite low tolerance levels.
The inspector carefully checks the
seeds' quality. Musty darkened seed is
dropped at least one grade. and there are
only two categories. one and two. Bushel
weight or. more accurately, weight per
1.000 kernels. must be up to minimum
standard. Signs of frost damage mean
diminished germination ability. and
wheat harvested prematurely has a
bleached -white colour. The uniformity of
treatment for seed -borne diseases and
insects is easily ascertained by the bright
red colour of the treatment chemical.
Uneven colour upsets the inspector, "and
rightly so", Bob agress. "He is there to
protect the farmer."
if the federal agent is satisfied, he
grants the seed a pedigree based on
visual examination, germination certifi-
cate, and the pedigree certificate issued
b)• CSGA after the field inspection. He
fills out some forms and prints the
pedigree tags on a portable printing press
he carries with him.
When the inspector leaves, he takes a
seed sample to send to the seed analytic
lab in Toronto. Here the seed is graded
under lab conditions for all the things
checked by the inspector, and a second
germination test is performed.
The grower who has successfully
passed all CSGA requirements for the
first three years can begin his internship.
From being a pedigreed seed grower, he
graduates to probationary seed grower,
"which sounds worse, but actually is
better".
The potential select seed grower can
now obtain breeder seed (of the same
crop kind as grown previously) from a
university or institution such as Guelph
PG. 10 THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1981
that maintains that kind of seed. He is
allowed a limited amount, usually 30 to 35
pounds, to be planted on a much larger
area than normal, in rows 14 inches
apart. (Bob stayed with Fredrick wheat,
and sowed one acre with his small bag of
breeder seed.)
The wider rows facilitate "roguing".
the spotting of genetic variations. With
cereal grains from the time the heads
begin to form until the grain is ripe. the
grower must check the seed plot every
week, and then every day as maturity
approaches. When the sun is low in the
sky at dusk or dawn. differences in
height. straw colour, hairiness of stems
and length of awns can be easily spotted.
All off -types are rogued - pulled out and
removed from the field - as are any weeds
that could present problems.
The crop is inspected only once. in the
field. The grower is required to clean the
seed himself; CSGA stipulates that this
seed must not be put into commercial
channels. The seed will be replanted the
following year. With most crops, breeder
seed is planted initially. and genetic
purity is maintained thereafter by
conscientious roguing. One exception is
white beans; the more generations this
crop is grown in Ontario. the more
bacterial blight it picks up. Because of
this disease factor. new breeder bean
seed is planted each year. '
If the grower is a full-fledged select
seed grower. the seed he has produced
is graded select; if still probationary. the
seed must still meet all requirements of
select seed. but is downgraded one level
to foundation status. the highest level
seed of commerce. After three years'
internship, the persevering grower is
certified as a select seed grower. abbd can
apply for and obtain breeder seed of any
crop he wishes to grow. He is restricted
by one previso - each plot cannot exceed
one-half hectare per type, and no matter
how large his acreage. he can plant no
more than two hectares (approximately
five acres) altogether to breeder seed.
The goal is not too difficult to attain.
Bob Forrest claims.
"The work is not intellectually de-
manding, but does call for a perfectionist.
a person who likes a challenge". he says.
At present there are 109 select seed
growers in Ontario.
"Not many, but adequate", Bob
remarks, and can back up his statement
mathematically. "Take 25 growers of
Fredrick wheat who each plant one acre
of select seed that yields 70 bu. per acre x
25; the result is 1.750 bu. of select seed
which. at 1'i: bu. per acre. will plant
1,167 acres of wheat. This will produce
foundation at 70 bu. per acre. yielding
81.667 bu. of foundation wheat. enough
to seed 54,444 acres which in turn would
produce 3.811.000 bu. of registered seed.
And that seed could be taken one
generation further. to certified seed."
Usually, according to Mr. Forrest.
twice as much cereal grain is produced as
is actually needed. However. last sum-
mer most of the wheat grown north of 401
sprouted while standing iii head. due to
the humid weather, and was not even fit
for milling. Bob is also finding that barley
and oats, with a normal cleanout rate of
five per cent. are cleaning out this winter
at 20 to 30 per cent.
"Select seed production is about as
close as you can get in a crop situation on
the farm to having anything to do with
plant genetics", Bob says.
Through his job at Centralia College of
Agricultural Technology he has moved
even closer to one of his main interests;
crop science. Three years ago he was
hired to lecture senior students on forage
production. cash crop production (a
survey of all cash crops that could be
grown in all areas served by the College)
and crop fertility,.
For the past year Bob has been acting
head of the agronomy section of the
College in the absence of Jim O'Toole.
who is working on his master's degree at
Western University. He will face a
further challenge this summer. the:
busiest time of year for a select seed
grower; hs has been asked to remain at
his administrative post during July and
August and. among other duties, oversee
20 acres of research plots. He foresees
little difficulty; he will rely even more
heavily on his father "who has never yet
mentioned retirement. and is in better
health than I am," Bob says admiringly.
Bob also employs reliable people each
year to- rogue the fields. Six people can
cover the Ed-El-Fo acreage in one week
by systematically stringing out 30 feet
apart and walking through field after
field.
"It's hot, dull work". !Bob admits.
"straddling two rows .of four -foot -high
barley and letting it pass through your