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Italian Rye-grass. —A further increase in the acreage entered for certification in the 1937-38 season is recorded, approximately 800 acres having been inspected with a view to certification. The general standard of the areas as revealed at field inspection seems to be improving, particularly in regard to the characteristic awns exhibited on good Italian rye-grass. This would appea.r to be explained by the elimination of the awnless types during dressing and the prevention, by an efficient scheme of certification, of recontamination with these types. Phalaris Tuberosa. —A few areas of Phalaris tuberosa have again been inspected with a view to certification, but one cannot foresee at the present time any great extension in this aspect of seed production. Seed Potatoes. —A further increase in the acreage entered for seed-potato certification is recorded, the area for the 1937-38 season being approximately 3,900 acres, an increase of 700 acres over the figure for the previous season. Just over 3,000 acres of this area have been accepted as certified subject to the tubers after digging and grading coming up to the standards set for certified seed. The standards set at field inspection are continually being raised, and the time is now approaching when no further improvement in the general standard of crops under certification, particularly in regard to those of certain varieties, may be expected. In the Aucklander Short Top variety, for instance, the main variety under certification, the quality of the crops is such that any crop showing more than 4 per cent, of virus disease is rejected, while probably 70 per cent, of the crops of this variety inspected revealed a virus infection of less than 2 per cent. This position does not hold for all varieties, however, in some of which there is still scope for much improvement by means of selection and rogueing. The variety Inverness Favourite has come rapidly into favour, advancing from a single entry in the 1934-35 season until in the season under review the entries totalled fifty crops, with an acreage accepted which gives the variety fourth place in the list of varieties. Wheat. —Wheat acreages show a decrease when compared with the acreages entered in the 1936-37 season, the figures for the respective seasons being 5,000 acres and 7,900 acres. Much of this reduction is no doubt due to the lower premium offered in the past two seasons for certified seed-wheat as against uncertified seed-wheat. Jumbuck is the only one of the five main varieties which has shown an increase in the acreage entered for certification, the other four varieties showing a reduction in acreage of from 25 per cent, to 50 per cent. Small areas of the newer varieties —Tainui, Taiaroa, and Bencubbin —were included in the certification scheme for the first time. Rape.—lt is indeed unfortunate that the crops of Broad Leaf Essex rape-seed under certification in 1937-38 should again have failed, leaving only supplies of the Giant type of rape available for distribution. Satisfactory yields of this type were experienced, 306 cwt. of machine-dressed seed being obtained from 38 acres. Seed Testing. For the calendar year 1937 a total of 20,404 seed samples were received for testing and examination, this number representing an increase of 2,289 on the previous year's total, and is again a record. The year's routine services required the undertaking of 32,068 tests, comprising purity analyses, 11,098 : germination tests, 17,734 ; ultra-violet examinations, 1,537 ; picric-acid tests, 1,699. As is usual, the bulk of the samples received represented commercial seed lines, and the results of the tests indicate that most of the seed on the market conformed to reasonable commercial standards. To-day, more than ever before, the organized seed trade, both wholesale and retail, is operated almost completely on official test percentages, so that an objective which has been worked for for many years is almost attained. Through the co-operative efforts also of field extension officers the interest and attention of the farming community in matters relating to seed-quality has very noticeably increased, which fact, when associated with an enlightened and reputable seed trade, must be responsible for a general improvement in the standard of agricultural seed sown. There is, however, still room for some improvement, particularly in respect of the small seed dealer and the purchaser of seed priced below ruling market rates for standard quality. Investigational. Low Germination in Perennial Rye-grass Seed.—Work on this problem has been continued during the past year, both in the laboratory and in the field. A progress report on the investigation has been prepared for publication. Some phases of the study have been carried on in collaboration with officers of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research ; in particular, a cultural investigation of the disease by the Plant Diseases Division and the isolation of resistant strains by the Grasslands Division of the Plant Research Bureau. A miscroscopic study of diseased seeds has been completed, from which much information has been gained respecting the structure and manner of growth of the causal organism and the nature of the injury to the seed. Following the discovery by Mr. J. C. Neill of Apothecia on rye-grass seeds lying in the field over winter, a brief survey was made of pastures in the Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, and Southland districts. In each district the Apothecia were frequently encountered. Experiments were carried out with a view to determining whether the Apothecia represent a phase in the life history of the rye-grass-seed parasite. The results of an inoculation experiment, in which a suspension of ascospores from Apothecia was applied to flowering rye-grass plants in the laboratory, gave support to this view. However, it has not been found possible, so far, to obtain in culture the Pullularia form from surface sterlized Apothecia. It is hoped that the position will be clarified by further study during the coming season.

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