Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc.

E-mail notification Now Available
E-mail notification for “samples received” and “new results available” is now a part of the Illinois Crop Improvement Online Test Results. Clients of any of the laboratories can now receive emails when new information is posted to their account. Electronic invoicing is also available and we encourage everyone to sign up and save some paper! For more information contact Hannah Hudson or fax us your sign up form.

Agrisure Trait Testing Available
Illinois Crop Improvement has successfully completed the necessary proficiencies to offer greenhouse, laboratory and ELISA services for Agrisure traits available through Greenleaf Genetics. Call Dave Rambow, Matt Raymond or Doug Miller for more information.

Expanded Counter Season Nursery Services in Illinois
Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc. (ICIA) will offer North American temperate counter season nursery services in Illinois beginning in 2008 to compliment the company’s Winter Farm operation based in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. More

Seed Lab: Just the Facts 4/16/08
Soybean Seed Quality Issues Continue
Soybean testing season is coming down to the wire, planting season is here and where do we stand?More

Seed Lab: Just the Facts 4/16/08
Soybean testing season is coming down to the wire, planting season is here and where do we stand? We probably know a little more about the situation with soybean seed quality, but our conclusions are not very satisfactory. The germination levels continue to be down with averages below 89 percent for all seed lots tested this year. The primary cause continues to be mechanical injury due to harvest, handling and conditioning impacts. Even though cracked seed coats are a visible sign of mechanical injury, the majority of germination potential loss is due to internal bruising or cracks in the radical and embryo axis of the soybean seed. When damage is done to certain critical areas of the seed, it is very unlikely and nearly impossible that the developing seedling can heal the damaged areas sufficiently to enable the seedling to develop into a healthy intact plant.

This is why seed treatment is inefficient on some seed with visible or internal mechanical injury. The seed treatment may help seed with damaged seed coats avoid fungal invasion when planted but will not help seed recover from the internal injuries associated with mechanical damage. In the majority of cases this year when mechanical damage is encountered on a soybean lot, the most severe damage is almost always internal, therefore not repairable.

The only thing we can really do is avoid the injury in the first place or prevent the seed from being hurt even worse. Careful handling, as gently as possible, with as few steps in moving the seed and planting in as stress free field conditions as possible is the key. Most of the seed planted this spring will not react favorably to any kind of stress.

Below are photos of abnormal seedlings with different degrees of mechanical injury. All would be considered non-germinable.

Mechanical damage-radicle with healing incomplete

Mechanical damage-radicle and split hypocotyl

Mechanical damage-radicle with negative geotropism

Mechanical damage-severe embryo axis

Global Seed Solutions (GSS)©
Two of the most important independent seed service providers have signed an agreement to create a new Strategic Alliance that will provide global business services to seed firms. This Alliance will establish a unique shared services approach that will lead to improved efficiency in seed services.
Illinois Crop Improvement Association (ICIA) and ZEA Global Seeds signed an agreement on October 10th, 2007, establishing a new world-class alliance entitled Global Seed Solutions (GSS) ©, operated by staff from both companies. The initiative is the first of its kind and builds on successful shared services, infrastructure and experienced human resources in different parts of the world. This venture will offer seed companies the possibility to experience exponential flexibility using multiple locations in South and North America’s temperate, tropical and subtropical winter locations, aimed to speed up time to market for corn, sorghum, soybean and sunflower seed.

The alliance will maintain a Winter Production BLOG at http://www.globalseedsolutions.blogspot.com/

ICIA owns facilities in Illinois and since 1986 has operated a winter farm in Puerto Rico. ZEA Global operates winter farms in Buenos Aires and Salta (Argentina). This presents a unique opportunity, which aims to give rapid and reliable seed technology services to provide northern and southern hemisphere solutions for developers/producers of corn, sorghum, soybeans and sunflower seed.

Marcelo Queijo, ZEA Global President and founder, said: "Teaming with ICIA in this venture, will enable us to deliver significantly improved services to both hemispheres over the next ten years. (GSS) © will combine the know-how of ZEA Global world-class seed transformation and managed service capabilities in the Southern Hemisphere with the depth of ICIA experience, reputation and staff skills in seed certification and development for the Northern Hemisphere. This in turn will enable the new team to create innovative service models which transforms the way seed development services are delivered to seed companies, as well as address some of the challenges associated with the new industry requirements."

The launch of (GSS) © is also being heralded by both companies as a potential solution to the increasing pressures on seed companies to speed up the seed development process due to new traits launched every year to the market and the reduced seed product life-cycle. Dennis Thompson, ICIA CEO, explains, "This timely alliance is absolutely essential to both organizations in our attempts to provide rapid and reliable seed technology solutions for continuous programs as well as short-term projects for developers and producers of corn, sorghum, soybean and sunflower seed. Both organizations are in absolute agreement that the alliance represents excellent value for both companies, an increase in our pool of services, and most importantly will result in better outcomes for all the companies in the seed industry."

Pablo Heide, ZEA Global CEO said, "ZEA is delighted to be part of this undertaking. We are confident that (GSS) © will enable us to not only deliver excellent value for seed companies in both hemispheres but will also support our broader ambitions that is to decrease the risks involved in the seed development process. We are constantly seeking to improve services and reduce costs to our clients, and we are confident that (GSS) © will enable us to achieve this goal."

Both companies are confident that their strategic alliance will be welcomed by the industry and will help to boost business opportunities in an area where companies are increasingly outsourcing services. Both companies explained that they will officially launch (GSS) © at the next ASTA meeting to be celebrated in Chicago on December 5-7th, 2007.

ICIA is a not-for-profit corporation with headquarters in Champaign, Illinois, US specialized in providing technology services to the international seed, feed, food and industrial agricultural industries. For more information, please contact Dennis Thompson at +1-217-359-4053 or visit: www.ilcrop.com

ZEA Global Seeds is a privately-owned company based in Argentina, dedicated to provide full winter season and value added technology services for seed companies around the world. For more information, please contact Marcelo Queijo at +54-2326-456800 or visit: www.zeaglobal.com

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Expanded Counter Season Nursery Services in Ilinois

Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc. (ICIA) will offer North American temperate counter season nursery services in Illinois beginning in 2008 to compliment the company’s Winter Farm operation based in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.

For many years, ICIA has maintained a modest Illinois corn and sunflower growout program geared toward materials produced in the Southern hemisphere. Initially, the growout program was established to affirm varietal purity as a criteria of AOSCA and OECD certification programs.

The program in recent years was expanded to also accept commercial entries from seed companies and brokers.

For a number of years, multiple female topcross services were offered in Illinois related to the development of High Oil Corn.

During 2007, ICIA successfully conducted their first regulated soybean trials at two locations near their Champaign headquarter’s office.

Plans for 2008 include offering Illinois based services for corn, soybean, sunflower and sorghum. Services will be provided independently by ICIA and collaboratively under Global Seed Solutions (GSS)©.

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Plant Breeder Retained by ICIA
Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc. (ICIA) has retained Charles (Chuck) Lay, Ph.D. to provide on-going technical and educational support to staff members in the area of plant breeding and genetics. Dr. Lay has operated a contract research business in central Illinois (with the primary emphasis on seed development) since 1988.

Prior to establishing Genetic Resources, Inc., he had been a fifteen year faculty member of South Dakota State University at Bookings, S.D.- Early in his career, he also held a plant breeding position with Campbell Soup’s Institute for Agriculture Research.

Dr. Lay will strengthen ICIA’s contribution to the recently formed strategic alliance with Zea Global of Argentina as Global Seed Solutions (GSS)© is launched in December. Dr. Lay will also support ICIA related to AOSCA and OECD seed certification administration. Dr. Lay’s plant breeding expertise will be a new and valuable resource to ICIA’s departmental directors including: a) Puerto Rico Winter Farm; b) Seed Laboratory; c) Field Services including trait validation; and d) Identity Preserved Grain Laboratory as they serve the dynamic seed industry.

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