Have you ever wondered why Customer Care might inquire about the harvest date of your seed sample? It’s because certain freshly harvested seeds, typically within a six-month timeframe, require a pre-chill treatment before testing, as mandated by the AOSA Rules For Testing Seeds. This requirement particularly applies to seeds like oats, rye, and other cereals and grasses.

But what exactly is a pre-chill? It’s a cold, moist treatment applied to seeds to break dormancy before germination testing. The method varies by species but typically involves holding imbibed seeds at a low temperature for a specified period.

As highlighted by Mike Stahr, Seed Lab Manager, in his May 2023 Manager’s Corner, unnecessary pre-chilling adds time to the testing process. To expedite processing and reporting, it’s crucial for our staff to identify samples containing recently harvested seeds promptly.

To facilitate quicker processing, we kindly request that you include the month and year of harvest on your samples or submission forms. If the exact month isn’t available, providing the year of harvest is also helpful.

Your cooperation in providing this essential information ensures smoother processing and timely reporting of test results. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or need further assistance.