by Linda McCandless
Geneva, NY - Alan Taylor was recently promoted to Professor of Seed Science and Technology in Cornell University's Department of Horticultural Sciences at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, in Geneva, NY.
Taylor's research efforts include a range of projects from applied research in the field of seed science to more fundamental aspects of seed biology and mechanisms associated with seed quality and aging. In addition, he teaches a full semester course in Seed Science and Technology on Cornell University's Ithaca campus.
"Seed quality is an important facet of crop production and can directly influence crop establishment, plant growth, and yield potential," said Taylor, who owns a national and several international patents on seed coating and sorting technologies. The overall objective of his program is the improvement of seed quality and seedling establishment. Primary emphasis is on vegetable crops seeds with less effort on agronomic and other seed species.
Enhancement of seed performance provides the potential for higher yields and helps insure profitability and competitiveness for New York State agriculture. More fundamental research provides contributions of national and global implications.
"Establishment of uniform stands of either small seeded or large seeded vegetable crops under New York growing conditions is a constant challenge," said Hugh Price, chairman of the Horticultural Sciences Department. "Dr. Taylor's research on seed quality and seed coating have contributed significantly to reducing the risks associated with field seeding of snap beans, onions and cabbage."
The Seed Science and Technology Program at Cornell is the only university-based program with capabilities for seed coating including pelleting, film-coating, and low volume application. Specialized facilities have been developed in Taylor's lab for those purposes and used for the application of chemical and biological seed treatments.
One practical application for the onion industry was developed in a cooperative project with Chuck Eckenrode. An experimental insect growth regulator called Trigard was developed for direct application to seed. "A section 18 has been issued for Trigard applied as a treatment and is available for use by the onion industry for control of onion maggot," said Taylor.
Coating is also a component in a process developed in Taylor's lab to enhance or improve seed germination in crucifers. This method includes first soaking seeds in controlled conditions in the laboratory, then coating, drying, and color sorting to separate the viable from the nonviable seeds. The process takes advantage of the natural occurrence of a fluorescent material called sinapine in seeds of the crucifer family. Dead seeds leak the material, and fluoresce under ultraviolet light. "The practical outcome is that we have been able to develop a rapid viability test, as well as seed sorting technology based on our ability to detect sinapine," said Taylor.
Another aspect of Taylor's research program is understanding how water affects seeds in storage and germination. As every gardener knows who stores seeds from one season to the next, seed moisture content has a major influence on shelf life. For good storage, it is important to keep seeds dry.
Taylor has also studied seed moisture content on large-seeded legumes (like beans) versus their susceptibility to mechanical damage and germination problems when the seeds are sown in cold, wet soils. In contrast to the low moisture preferred for storage conditions, higher moisture content helps avoid seed injuries associated with physical abuse and germination under stressful soil environments.
"I attribute a lot of the success of our program to our ability to attract and recruit good graduate students and visiting scientists to the program, and being able to focus their talents on a particular project where we all learn. That's the fun thing," said Taylor. His reputation for hosting these individuals and getting them involved with meaningful research is widespread.
Taylor received a B.S. in Biology from Heidelberg College, in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1975. He received his M.S. in Horticulture in 1977 from Michigan State University, and his Ph.D. in Crop Science in 1981, from Oklahoma State University. He was named assistant professor at the Experiment Station in 1981, and became Associate Professor in 1986. His professional associations include the American Society for Horticultural Science, where he is the Chairman of the Seed Research Working Group, and the Associate Editor for HortScience in Seed Technology. He is also a member of the Crop Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy.
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