SGS expands noxious weed seed detection capabilities at Brookings laboratory

SGS has expanded the range of noxious weed species’ seeds it scans for at its seed testing laboratory in Brookings, South Dakota, to include four species of dust-like noxious weed seeds.

Brookings has added the following four species to its noxious weed seed detection capabilities – Aeginetia, Alectra, Orobanche, and Striga. The expansion in competencies comes in response to a rule change issued by the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) on October 1, 2018.

Because of their dust-like appearance, the identification of these noxious weed seeds requires the use of specific procedures to ensure proper and thorough analysis. To determine if these species are present in a sample, a magnification level of at least 10x is required, with a recommendation that the examination uses 20x or greater.

To ensure access to this service, clients are requested to submit to Brookings a separate request for analysis alongside their sample. This must be done in accordance with the specific submission guidelines corresponding to the AOSA rule change. These are:
•    Sample submission forms must specifically state which of the dust-like noxious weed seed species are to be detected prior to analysis
•    Samples that are submitted need to be sent under a separate noxious working weight based on requirements specified in Table 2A, column 5 in section 15 of the 2018-2019 AOSA Rules
•    Submitted samples must be raw seed that has not been treated, inoculated, or coated

This procedure remains applicable within the US and is also included in the 2018 Rules issued by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). Seed lots that are certified under ISTA can also be tested for dust-like seeds from specified noxious weed species according to ISTA rules.

Identified as parasitic and damaging to annual crops, the seeds from noxious weed species present an enormous danger to agricultural practices. As invasion and crop contamination intensifies, the need for control measures to contain these parasitic species is becoming more urgent.

The SGS facility in Brookings, South Dakota, is the world's largest seed testing laboratory with six registered seed technologists. Collectively, its laboratory staff has over one hundred years of experience in purity analysis, with the onsite capability to identify over 400 different seed varieties.

SGS has considerable experience of offering high-quality seed analysis services to the agricultural sector. With the expansion of its weed seed detection capabilities at Brookings, SGS remains the first choice for agri-businesses operating in North America and around the world.

If you have questions about the analysis of noxious dust-like weed seeds, our experts are on-hand to help.