Protocol Seed 10-12
HGCA Recommended List (RL)
Trial seed processing
(seed handling, treatment and distribution
- cereals & oilseeds)
Protocol
RL Project Consortium. Registered Office: AHDB-HGCA, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2TL
Registered in England no. 4081213
AHDB-HGCA, STONELEIGH PARK, KENILWORTH, WARWICKSHIRE, CV8 2TL
Supporting UK grain www.hgca.com
Contents
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Summary 3
1. Sowing lists 3
2. Seed orders 3
3. Receipt of seed 3
4. Arrivals 4
5. Sampling sheets 4
6. Sampling 4
7. Seed treatment 4
8. Seed breakdown 5
9. Special requirements 5
10. Limitations on the use of RL seed 5
11. Packeting 6
12. Materials and equipment 6
13. Dispatch 6
14. Residue seed storage 6
15. Disposal of seed 6
Appendix 1: Deadline dates 7
Appendix 2: Seed handling workload example 8
Summary
This protocol deals with the ‘processing’ of seed, i.e. the receipt, handling, treatment, packeting and despatch of seed for HGCA managed trials. This includes field trials, special tests and demonstration areas of cereal and oilseed crops.
1. Sowing lists
Details of the varieties to be processed will be sent to the seed handling contractor by the RL Technical Manager.
2. Seed orders
Seed will be ordered by the Technical Manager, for delivery to the seed handling operator by defined dates. These dates may change from year to year but delivery will be broadly in line with the National List deadlines or the next working day if the date is a weekend. The Technical Manager should be advised if any seed has not arrived by the deadline.
The seed handling plant must be open at reasonable times throughout the working week to take receipt of the ordered seed.
The Seed Handling Operator should advise the Technical Manager of the maximum weight of seed bags allowed for safe-handling prior to seed ordering.
Seed delivery deadlines: see Appendix 1
The Technical Manager should be advised if any seed has not arrived by the deadline.
Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to extend these deadlines in consultation with the seed handling operator.
3. Receipt of seed
The variety name and weight of each lot of delivered seed should be checked by the seed handling operator against the sowing list. The seed should be ‘re-cleaned only’ i.e. untreated by the supplier. The Technical Manager will advise if treated seed is acceptable. The Technical Manager should be notified if any seed is received that is already treated.
The thousand seed weight and germination are noted, either as indicated on the bag or by email; if this information is not received, the Technical Manager should be advised.
In the unlikely event that a thousand seed weight figure is unavailable from the supplier the seed handling operator should do a test on untreated seed to prevent delays in packeting and drilling.
The Technical Manager may have requested that an undertaking be given that the seed supplied contains no GM material. If this advice is sent with the seed the information must be passed to the Technical Manager.
4. Arrivals
The seed handling operator will record the date, identity and seed lot number (if available) of all seed arrivals. The Technical Manager must be advised if any seed consignments are not as ordered or of spillages etc. The seed handling operator must report any seed still outstanding after the agreed deadline has passed.
5. Sampling sheets
Sheets detailing sampling requirements are prepared by the seed handling operator, along with sample packets and labels. Each variety is given a code to simplify identification. These codes are supplied by the Technical Manager with the sowing list.
6. Sampling
Various numbers and sizes of samples (as specified by the Technical Manager, according to crop) must be taken from the untreated seed ‘as received’. These samples should be taken in a bags labelled with the crop, harvest year, variety code and variety name. These samples should be retained in a dry, vermin-free seed-store for five years, or until the Technical Manager advises that the sample can be discarded. The samples should be representative of the whole seed bulk delivered. Where a seed bulk arrives in more than one bag then sub-samples should be taken from each bag and mixed.
7. Seed treatment
The amount of seed required for each trial and the total seed weight required will be indicated in an Excel spreadsheet by the Technical Manager (see 8). The amount of seed required should be treated with chemical seed treatment, as specified by the Technical Manager and/or the protocol. Records should be kept detailing the chemicals, batches and rates of treatment used on each variety. During the seed breakdown procedure a sub-sample of the treated seed (known as a loading reference) should be taken to allow a check on chemical loading to be made, if necessary.
The seed treatment machinery available must be capable of treating bulks of combinable crop seed ranging from a few grams to 500 kg. The equipment should allow self emptying (of seed) or easily cleaned between batches in order to prevent cross contamination.
It is the responsibility of the Seed Handling Operator to:
· obtain the specified chemical products(s).
· ensure that the storage, handling, use, labelling and disposal of products and packaging is in accordance with all legal, environmental and health and safety regulations as well as complying with the manufacturer’s instructions.
· ensure that staff applying the chemical treatments are suitably trained and qualified and that all health and safety requirements are met, including the provision of protective clothing.
· ensure that chemicals are applied at approved rates and the equipment used is properly maintained and calibrated.
8. Seed breakdown
The seed distribution document details the amount of seed required for all trials at each site and is produced by the Technical Manager. To allow progress to be made, several draft versions may be supplied while sowing lists are finalised but a final version, approved by the Technical Manager will be supplied. The Seed Handling Operator must supply the thousand seed weight and germinations figures to the Technical Manager before seed is despatched to trial managers.
The amount of seed required for each variety/site is rounded up to the nearest 1kg for cereals and linseed with a single bulk for oilseed rape. These are the units on which the workload and payment for work are calculated.
The seed-handling operator may offer a service to provide trial operators with individually weighed plot-packets subject to the following conditions:
· The service is a commercial arrangement between the seed-handling operator and trials operators.
· The unit charge to HGCA remains unchanged.
· The seed handling operator is responsible for amending the seed distribution breakdown.
· The seed handling operator must ensure that the trial operators are sent the correct number of plot packets for their trial(s) and that the weight of each plot-packet will deliver sufficient seed to attain the target populations given in the trial protocol.
9. Special requirements
There may be occasions where it is necessary to supply extra seed due to late requests or unplanned changes to requirements. The Technical Manager may request that spare packets are made up at the same time as the main batch in case this situation arises. Any reasonable requests for additional seed that that cannot be made up from this contingency may be requested by agreement between the Seed Handling Operator and Technical Manager subject to workloads and at extra charge.
Apart from the seed processing for main RL trials, there may be requirements for special work as defined, such as small quantities of winter barley seed for cold tolerance testing in the Jura mountains.
10. Limitations on the use of RL seed
Seed for Recommended List trials must be used only for RL trials/tests as specified by the Technical Manager or other authorised HGCA staff. It may be possible for seed to be used for other (i.e. non-RL) purposes with the prior permission of the RL Manager or RL Technical Manager.
11. Packeting
Seed must be packeted by hand or by a self-cleaning machine. Each seed packet must contain only seed of the required variety (with seed treatment as required) with no cross contamination (e.g.) from residues in machinery between varieties.
Packets should be robust and securely sealed to prevent bursting/leaking in transit but easily opened when required. Each packet should be clearly labelled with the year, crop, variety name, code and quantity in waterproof ink.
12. Materials and equipment
All equipment, chemicals, packets, sacks, labels etc. will be supplied by the Seed Handling Operator.
13. Dispatch
Trial seed should be dispatched by the specified deadline for the crop (See Appendix 1).
Trial seed should be packed into strong sacks with labels inside and outside of each sack showing the description of the contents and the seed treatment.
The trial seed should be dispatched to the appropriate trial centre via overnight carrier. It is the responsibility of the seed handling operator to investigate with the appointed carrier any loss or damage to the consignment. The Technical Manager should be notified of seed dispatch prior to sending so he can ensure workbooks and seed information is with trial managers before the seed arrives.
Carriage costs will be covered by HGCA. Records of the consignments should be kept and provided to HGCA on request.
14. Residue seed storage
The remaining treated seed should be stored until the drilling window is over (31st December for autumn crops and 30th April for spring crops). The permission of the Technical Manager should be sought before disposing of any seed.
One packet (minimum 500 grams) of seed of winter wheat NL2 varieties should be kept until the following summer to be used in an early sown growth and development trial.
15. Disposal of seed
Disposal of unused seed, either treated or untreated is the responsibility of the seed handling operator and must be done responsibly, complying with all current disposal guidelines and legal requirements.
Appendix 1: Deadline dates
The Technical Manager will make arrangements for seed to be delivered to the seed handling operator by the following deadline dates.
Winter wheat 12th September
Triticale 1st September
Rye 1st September
Winter barley 30th August
Winter oats 6th September
Spring wheat 23rd October
Spring barley 15th November
Spring oats 20th January
Winter oilseed rape 8th August
Spring oilseed rape 20th January
Spring linseed 31st January
The seed handling operator should despatch the processed seed to trial managers by the following deadline dates:
Winter wheat (September sowing) †19th September
Winter wheat (other sowings) 23rd September
Winter triticale 30th September
Winter rye 30th September
Winter barley 10th September
Winter oats 10th September
Spring wheat (late autumn sowing) 14th November
Spring wheat (spring sowing) 28th January
*Spring barley (Dec & Jan sowings) 5th December
*Spring barley (spring sowing) 28th January
Spring oats 28th January
Winter oilseed rape 21st August
Spring oilseed rape 5th February
Spring linseed 14th February
†The Technical Manager will advise on priorities.
* Seed for all spring barley trials may be ordered for delivery by the earlier date.
Appendix 2: Seed handling workload example (approximate)
Crop / Seed packets producedWinter cereals / Winter wheat / 3600
Winter barley / 1300
Winter oats / 320
Rye & triticale / 150
Late sown wheat / 380
SW innoc / 50
Growth & Dev / 70
Total number / 5870
Winter oilseeds / Winter oilseed rape / 1500
Spring cereals / Spring barley / 1800
Spring wheat / 80
Spring oats / 400
Total number / 2280
Spring oilseeds / Spring oilseed rape / 60
Spring linseed / 50
Total number / 110