KPU Seed Program

Supporting a vibrant organic seed sector in British Columbia

KPU Seed Program Objectives

  • Partner with British Columbia seed sector to foster the growth of the province’s organic seed industry
  • Provide research-based information and services to enable sustainable production practices
  • Develop seed quality assessment systems to improve quality and quantity of BC’s organic seed supply

Growing the Organic Seed Sector in BC

  • British Columbia has Canada’s largest market for organic and ecological seed, with $7.79 million in annual sales
  • BC seed producers are not meeting provincial demand for high-quality organic seed
  • The organic seed industry has potential to be a vibrant agricultural sector with appropriate support

KPU Seed Lab

  • Available to assist seed growers with testing and cleaning seed lots
  • Designed to enable seed growers to improve seed quality and production efficiency

Contact

Lab Equipment

Unconditioned Seed Dryer
Seed dryer

Small seed drums

  • Small seed drums
    for small batches

Large seed drum

  • Larger seed drum
    for larger batches

 

Seed Temperature and Relative Humidity Sensor
Temperature and Humidity Sensor
Temperature and Humidity Sensor
Seed Hand Screens
Hand screen
  • Ideal for size separation of small batches of seed

 

Seed Screening Machines
Stacked screens
  • Screens can be stacked to create a sizing gradient

 

Air Separator
Air Separator
  • Separation of chaff, dust, foreign materials, and very light seeds
Seed Density Separator
Density Separator
  • Density grading of seed in liquid (water or other liquids with known osmotic potential)
  • Separation of heavy and lights seeds
  • Ideal for small seed lots
Elmor Seed Counter
Seed counter
  • Vibratory bowl seed counter
  • Seed diameters of 0.2 - 18 mm
  • Counts up to 50,000 seeds per hour
Optical Seed Sorter
Optical sorter
  • Sorts seed by colour, shape, or size
  • Sorts seeds as small as sesame or flax
  • Sorts up to 4,000 lbs of seed per hour
  • Vibratory feeder is ideal for smaller seeds and seed lots
Gravity Separator
Gravity Separator
  • Separation of empty seeds, insect damaged seeds, stones, and other materials from seed
Growth Chambers
Growth Chamber
  • Three multi-tiered growth chambers for testing seed germination and viability
  • Control temperature, humidity, and day length

 

Project Support:

KPU Department of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

Sustainable Agriculture

Canada Foundation for Innovation
  

BC Knowledge Development Fund
  BC Knowledge Development Fund