06. Seed Processing
After seed harvest, sugarbeet seed is far from ready for the farmer so the seed has to go through many processes to ensure that it becomes a pellet as you know it.
Step 1: Pre-cleaning
Raw seed lot has sticks, weed seed, and other inert materials that need to be removed before seed is shipped to Sheridan, Wyoming and our seed processing partner, Holly Seed.
Step 2: Cleaning
When the batch of seeds arrives at the factory, we again have to extract the best part.
First, we blend all the contents of one seed lot to ensure that the
batch is as homogeneous as possible. During this cleaning, the remaining
waste, such as small twigs, dried earth and foreign seeds, is removed.
Seeds that are too small,
too big or bigerm are then screened out. In this way, we try to avoid empty patches in the field.
Sugarbeet seed is very rough and irregular in shape and the pericarp contains natural germination inhibitors. Some of the seeds are empty or have partially-filled embryos.
The goal of the seed processing team at Holly Seed is to remove the excess pericarp and germination inhibitors with specially designed polishers, then size and gravity the seeds to segregate and collect only those well-filled, normal sized seeds.
The seed quality laboratory is constantly evaluating seeds after harvest and each step in the processing to assure the germination, vigor, cold tolerance, and seed weight reflect the best quality seeds possible. All data is stored in a central database with full traceability, and final quality is assessed using well-defined industry standards.
Step 3: Priming
The priming process is designed to start the initial physiological phase of germination, done in the factory under controlled conditions. Priming also minimizes other germination inhibitors so that primed seed results in 1-3 days faster and uniform emergence.
Our priming process has demonstrated significant increases in emergence, leading to more uniform plant canopy, easier weed control, and final sugar yields.
Read more about our primed seeds.
Step 4: Pelleting
High quality primed seed is still irregular in thickness and diameter, and requires a specialized pelleting process to create a standardized round product. Seed pelleting optimizes plantability and accurate seed spacing. Because each seed is unique, the pelleting process demands constant monitoring and adjustment by an operator. Pellets are then screened so they are the correct size. Following the pelleting operation, another sample is taken and analysed for moisture content, vigour, and germination in the quality lab.
Step 5: Coating
The last seed processing step in is coating, which involves applying a layer of requested fungicides or insecticides to the pelleted seeds to protect the variety’s yield potential. SESVanderHave’s specific light metallic red color is now applied to assist in checking planting depth and seed spacing in the field during planting.
Step 6: Packaging
Once the seeds have passed extensive quality standards at every stage in the production process, they can finally be weighed, packaged, and labelled with variety information, seed quality, seed size, any applied treatments, and other necessary seed industry information.
This is how SESVanderHave products, day in and day out, sugarbeet seed that meets your specific needs. SESVanderHave has already brought hundreds of successful varieties onto the market, and will continue to develop many more in the future!
