Evaluation of Bulk Seed Handling Systems on Soybean Quality and Germination Rates

Abstract

There is no significant data on the interaction between soybean seed health and the handling mechanism used to transport the seed from a bulk storage container to the seed planter implement. Specifically, little is known regarding the effect of transportation systems on soybean germination rate and overall seed vigor. With approximately 200,000 seeds planted per acre (Wellman, 2006) on 75 million acres in the United States (NASS, 2006), the potential economic loss incurred by damage during transport is enormous. Testing the effects of different transport systems and various conditions of each transport system on the germination and vigor of seeds will identify the best system and system conditions for seed germination and seedling vitality. This project shows that transport systems and the operating conditions of each affect soybean seed germination rates. The tests did not show a consistent statistical difference across all treatments, but showed a trend in the means as well as indications of higher operating speeds causing increased damage. Further testing needs to be conducted with larger samples sizes or numbers to further quantify the results. Advisors: Randall Reeder and Matthew Darr