CSD has a commitment to quality which is focused on the needs of the Australian cotton grower. To meet this commitment CSD produces and tests all seed to internationally accepted protocols (such as the OECD Seed Scheme and International Seed Testing Association/Association of Official Seed Analysts), which measure seed quality and purity. Watch this video for more detail on these protocols.
CSD’s Quality Assurance (QA) procedures touch every facet of the seed production process from grower selection, through planting, growing, harvesting, ginning, delinting and treating of the finished product. Throughout the seed production process there are over 50 QA checks or tests carried out on each seed lot, with a minimum of four germination tests at various stages of the process.
The beginning of the journey for cotton seed to be produced for planting actually starts the season before, where all contracted seed crops are inspected by CSD’s Seed Increase team a minimum of four times including visual inspections and leaf sampling to ensure genetic and trait purity. In addition to these inspections, all equipment associated with planting, picking, transport and ginning are also inspected by the Seed Increase team. Once the seed crop is picked, all modules have moisture levels checked via the use of a Vomax moisture meter unit and samples taken for QA testing before being ginned, also under the supervision of the Seed Increase team. From the gin the seed is collected and transported to CSD.
The range of QA testing conducted on each stage of seed testing from module to AUSlot includes the warm and cool germination test which measures germination percentage and vigour of the seedlot, transgenic purity of the GM traits, mechanical damage, seeds/kg and physical purity of the seedlot.
Upon arriving at CSD, a ‘fuzzy’ sample is immediately taken and transported to the Quality and Research Laboratory where it is delinted (remaining lint removed using concentrated sulfuric acid) so it may be tested for transgenic purity. This test is conducted immediately for each load of seed that arrives on site and the load must pass before being accepted and unloaded with the full range of QA testing then conducted following load receival. Fuzzy seed is then stored in seed sheds under constant monitoring before being delinted through the commercial delinting plant at a later stage.
After delinting is conducted through the commercial hydrochloric delinting plant, the seed is referred to as intermediate seed and it is again subjected to the full range of QA testing. Seed which passes all QA tests up to this point will then be available to treat to fill grower orders when they are received. Once the selected seed treatments are applied, the seedlot is assigned an AUSlot number and is again subject to all QA tests through the lab before dispatch, with the results of this final round of testing being made available on the Statement of Seed Analysis for that particular AUSlot.