SEED TESTING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22320, 3 May 1947, Page 8

SEED TESTING

ST ATION_W. ANTED PRESSURE FROM SOUTH REQUEST FOR SPEED UP South Island members of the Feder ated Farmers of New Zealand show no signs of easing their pressure on the Government for the establishment of a seed-testing station in their is.and, states a message from federation headquarters. The council of the agncul ture section recently asked the Minister for an early decision on the matter and urged him to have the testing of samples speeded up. In his reply the Minister of Agriculture. Mr E. L. Cullen, has advised the federation that it is not yet possible to make a final decision on the matter. Anv decision to establish a South Island station now. would cause further deterioration in the efficiency of the present seed-testing service. Present efforts were being concentrated on improving the service given by the station at Palmerston North Considerable improvements already had been made and the laboratory personr.el had been increased by 50 per cent | In consequence, the delay when occur* red last year in testing samples was now almost eliminated. Facilities were available to undertake 1000 purity and 900 germination tests every week and with the arrival of new seed germinators from overseas it would be possible to increase the weeklv throug.iput of germination tests to 1300. It was the delayed supply of that essential equipment, plus difficulties of staffing and accommodation which mainly precluded the establishment of a permanent station in the South Island at present. Therefore, the Minister felt sure that his department had adopted the right policy of improving the facilities at Palmerston North. There had been, he concluded, two temporary stations operating in the South Island for nearly three months for the urgent testing of pre-harvest samples of ryegrass seed to determine the degree of infection with blind seed disease. It was expected that stations would again be established for the same purpose next season.