Product Development
AgSeeds Unlimited conducts thorough product research, and shares its technical expertise with growers, seed suppliers, processors and others who rely on data driven decision making. AgSeeds product development team is hard working, innovative, and dedicated to planting, mapping, and monitoring trials with the ultimate goal of collecting accurate and meaningful data. In 2022, AgSeeds planted over 300 field trials dedicated to identifying varieties that deliver improvements in yield, quality, or other horticultural characteristics. Field trials are conducted on a wide range of agronomic, fresh and processing species. In addition to field trials, AgSeeds operates its own fruit quality lab that conducts thousands of tests on new and standard varieties each year.
Two thirds of the trials planted in 2022 were dedicated to processing tomatoes. Data is collected each year from four types of processing tomato trials, plus semi commercial or “block trial” plantings. This year we planted over 400 varieties in our product development trials. Data collected from trials is compiled immediately after harvest and provided to seed suppliers. Real time data delivery is critical as seed production decisions are often driven by results from AgSeeds trials.
In 2022, AgSeeds planted 69 plot trials statewide. These trials provide us with chemistry data plus an early look at horticultural characteristics. In 2022, we ran nearly 27,000 assays on 4,500 samples collected from plot trials and peel dice study.
In 2022, AgSeeds planted 38 GT trials statewide. These replicated, commercially harvested trials allow us to collect reliable yield information while using small quantities of seed. 2006 was our first year of GT trialing and since then these trials have provided seed companies with the “missing link” of yield data previously unavailable this early in the development of new genetics. This data is a key component in separating the winners from the losers and accelerates the process of selecting new lines to advance.
In 2022, AgSeeds planted 44 Adaptive trials statewide. These trials provide us with the final test of commercial viability before launching a variety into small scale commercial plantings, also known as “block trials”.
In 2022, AgSeeds planted 57 Specialty trials statewide. Specialty trials are planted to insure availability of representative samples of new and standard varieties to submit to whole peel, dice, and paste studies we conduct each year in collaboration with processors that focus on peeled products.