Looking for Seed

By Dave Lewis - Senior Agronomy Consultant, Rural Solutions SA.

Crop yield prospects have declined in some areas to the point where farmers may only recover seed or worse. 

If you are faced with this prospect, sourcing seed requirements for next year could become a challenge, leaving you with insufficient seed for your intended crop.  Farmers in districts where droughts feature regularly have plans in place to deal with the poor year.  

Most would agree that it is best to source your seed requirements from your own property.  Have a look at your crops now and pick out those most likely to be worth running a harvester over.  If there are weeds in these areas, it may pay to clean the area up with some herbicide while there is still a chance, especially if we get a splash of rain to freshen it up.  A side from having clean seed, this will reduce the draw on available soil moisture possibly improving the yield prospects of your seed crop.

Grain from a droughted crop is small, often screenings, and generally viable as seed if treated with care and protected from grain insect attack in storage. Allow for the small seed weight when calculating your seed requirements.  Your seeding rate will need to be reduced with the light seed or you will end up with thick crops next year.  How much you reduce your seeding rate will depend on the grain weight and germinability of your seed and whether it is graded.  

You may well have two seasons of seed on hand just in case of a crop failure.  This seed needs to be checked now as the weather begins to warm up. Insect attack will reduce its quality - reducing its ability to produce robust seedlings.  Inspect and fumigate if grain insects are evident.  

If it appears you will not have enough seed on hand for next year, seed sourced from neighbours is preferable if you have to buy seed in, unless you can afford to buy certified seed.  

However, purchase seed of varieties protected under seed marketing contracts or PBR only from authorised seed vendors.  Lists of such varieties are available in the latest Crop Sowing Guide from SARDI.  

If you do need to look at a commercial seed source from further afield, at least ensure it is tested for purity and germination, with all the weed seeds listed.  

PIRSA has established a Seed Requirement Register.  If you think you will not have enough seed for next year, or you can help out by supplying quality clean seed you should register by phoning the drought hotline on 1800 999 209.

* Dave Lewis is Rural Solutions SA's senior field crop consultant at Kadina.