Research has shown that certified seed varieties consistently outperform saved seed in yield, quality and test weight.

When you value saved wheat at $5 per bushel, using certified seed increases profit by as much as $12.45 per acre, according to a calculator you can use to estimate your costs and potential returns.

SEED INSIGHT: Certified seed, having gone through a rigorous cleaning and testing, is ready for planting.

Certified seed is seed that meets specific variety standards and has passed an inspection and seed-quality testing process regulated by government agencies. Many wheat farmers purchase certified seed for planting and then save harvested grain for two or more consecutive years before buying fresh seed. This method can be challenging because the further removed saved seed is from the original certified seed variety, the greater the risk becomes of varietal impurity, poor seed germination, diseased seed, and the occurrence of volunteer crops and weeds. Addressing these added challenges in season could easily offset perceived benefits gained from planting saved seed.

Growers who purchase certified seed receive a product that has gone through the rigors of the certification process, was sourced from clean production fields, has passed inspections for varietal purity and germination viability, and is free of weeds and other contaminants. By running a seed producer’s harvested seed crop over sophisticated cleaners and gravity tables, seed houses can select for the largest, heaviest kernels, which typically contribute to more vigorous plants that can emerge faster and better handle early-season stresses.

Corey Dathe

When a grower purchases certified seed, it comes with the guarantee that the seed is true to type, as opposed to bin-run seed, which can perpetuate volunteer crops, noxious weeds and various diseases. Growers who make the decision to purchase and plant certified seed are supporting a healthy seed industry — which contributes many of those funds back into new technology development — while planting the best seed available.

Additionally, growers who invest in certified seed not only take advantage of new advancements in seed technology, but also guarantee themselves less risk of seedborne and soilborne disease infections and low germination rates. The resulting investment helps increase yield and profit potential, and more and more growers are beginning to recognize that enhancement.

At the end of the day, it’s only about a couple of dollars per acre and is considered a strategic part of a grower’s overall business plan.

Dathe is the AgriPro wheat key account lead from Syngenta in the Northern Plains and is based out of Fargo, N.D. For more information, contact him at [email protected].