Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Purity testing of some species such as native grasses requires more effort and time due to the special
nature of the seed or morphological similarity among seed of different species such as tall fescue and rye-
grass compared to other larger-seeded crops such as corn and soybeans, which affects the price of tests. It
is noteworthy that the price of the test should be comparable to the time and complexity of the test in order
to maintain the economic viability of the lab and balance its budget. Other specialty tests such as crop and
weed exams, undesirable grass seed test (UGS), and sod quality exams often require longer time, so the
charges must be expected to cover the testing expenses. Pricing too low may result in inancial disaster for
the lab and may affect the quality of results. Pricing too high may drive the lab out of business. In all cases,
the mission and goals of each laboratory have to be identiied to provide quality services to the customers in
a timely manner. Laboratory management has to set improvement goals within a balanced budget and meet
the inancial goals of the unit.
Laboratory Location, design, and Layout
There are many functional laboratory designs. Fig. 12.2 shows a loorplan of a state-operated laboratory
in the United States with responsibilities for testing law enforcement, service, certiication and research
samples. While each laboratory will have its own need for facilities, this basic plan can serve as an example
when planning for a new installation or modiication of existing facilities. Although no single design would
suit every laboratory, some basic factors should be considered.
Because most laboratories deal with the public, the laboratory site should be as easily accessible as
possible. A major criticism of some public laboratories is that they are not centrally located to serve all their
customers equally although the current transportation system (including packages) around the world makes
it easy to ship samples from place to place in relatively short time. A central location is desirable if the
laboratory is to offer equal service to all its customers. In some states, collection centers such as agricultural
extension ofices collect samples from growers or seed warehouses that are far away from seed labs, and
a lab representative picks them up during the busy season and provides a service for customers/growers in
remote areas. Ground level facilities are most desirable because of better access by customers and support
personnel as well for freight and mail delivery. Adequate parking should be available to permit sample
delivery and time to consult about test results and enable good customer relations. The sample receiving
and storing area should accommodate the number of samples that each lab is expected to receive. Oficial
samples are usually stored for 3 years after testing.
Most seed testing laboratories in the past have been housed in buildings and rooms built for general
purpose use and not designed speciically for seed testing purposes. Consequently, the arrangement of the
low for receiving, entering, and subdividing samples, as well as optimum space for performing various
tests may not be adapted to the available space and facilities. However, in recent years, more seed testing
laboratories have been designed and constructed speciically for seed testing. This has enabled the design
of space and facilities speciically for seed testing needs.
Purity and germination are the two basic tests conducted by most laboratories although the tetrazolium
(TZ) test is also a common test. With the emergence of genetically modiied seeds, genetic purity testing
has also become important in many seed laboratories around the world. The germination test is normally
conducted on seed that has already been tested (and separated) for purity; therefore, the laboratory should
be designed to accommodate this normal low. Another key consideration in laboratory planning is having
a front ofice where test results are recorded and sent to customers. Furthermore, ofice personnel often
are required to answer customer questions regarding the status of samples being tested. Therefore, it is
important that the ofice be centrally located with equal access to all parts of the laboratory. A database
program designed for seed testing services and for communicating between a seed lab and its customers via
an Internet website and/or email is a convenient service. Through Internet communication, customers can
have access to their test results and even print reports and tags for seed lots based on ield inspection and
seed testing of their samples. This is important for today's competitive market in the modern seed industry.
