Replicated Testing – Why is it So Important To Us?
Peterson Farms Seed has built a solid reputation for being the premier corn and soybean testing organization in the upper Midwest. Our monumental efforts in research and replicated testing require dedicated resources – including cooperators, plot equipment, technicians, tilling and harvest equipment, and crop-specific database software. All of which add up to a huge investment in both time and dollars.
Why do we do it? Most regional seed companies do not. Why does Peterson Farms Seed?
Local Genetics
We believe that testing products in the same conditions and the same soil as our customers’ fields is the best way to select the correct products for our line-up. We’re more than seed marketers. We’ve put in the time and effort to walk plots across the region to ensure we’re offering farmers the highest performers for their acres.
Our replicated testing includes genetics from all the major breeding programs so that we’re able to evaluate across a broad set of genetics. Our independence promises that we are not tied to a single genetic pool. We do not take our marching orders from anyone but our customers.
Replication + Locations
Anyone who knows a hoot about testing, from pharmaceuticals to chemicals, knows testing is all about replications – doing it over and over again. In our case, in multiple locations. Replicated testing minimizes the environmental differences between plots and allows true genetic differences to be identified. Tests based on single locations are always suspect as locations are chosen to maximize yield.
Replicated Testing Focus
Product testing has always been top-of-mind with us. And the truth is, we do the northern testing for most of the largest genetics organizations in the country, which allows us to see products two to three years before they might be offered commercially. That is a lifetime for corn or soybean products with a short life-cycle. After seeing product performance in replications across many locations over multiple years, I can feel pretty certain that the products we offer are truly the top performers.
Expanded Program in 2017
Because of our reputation in the industry, our replicated testing program has grown in 2017, more than doubling our soybeans trials to 34,000 soybean and 14,000 corn variety plots. We are also testing all the existing soybean herbicide traits available today: Conventional, RR2Y, RR2X, Enlist, and Balance/LL in 17 locations across North and South Dakota and Minnesota (see map here).
Our research team has enjoyed the flexibility of our new research planter (above). Through software, it can change plot length on-the-go as well as population in the field and from plot-to-plot. Its computer records every single seed that is planted so we can see target population vs. actual. With the planter’s mapping capabilities, we can map the field when we arrive to mark the corners and set any area not to plant if there are bad spots.
This planter has more testing options, including seeding corn in 40’ rows to increase the volume of grain we are testing per plot. We’re also testing five different populations across 15 hybrids, allowing us to make better recommendations per hybrid on ideal population.
In a nutshell, we believe in research. We’ve made a promise to you to provide the very best products for your farm. Extensive testing is one the ways we ensure we can deliver on that promise.
