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Alfalfa Seed Rejected
SproutNet.com

ISS

September 10, 2000

ISS just rejected eight of nine lots of seed it sampled. The reasons depended on the lot and included fecal contamination, damaged seed and insect infestation. Several lots were infested with the cyclid wasp, which bores into the center of alfalfa seed to nest.

This brings up a new issue. Dr Wick has shown that damaged alfalfa seed, in all likelihood, will escape sanitation. If this is true, what effect do insects have on contaminating seed or at least making it susceptible to contamination by damaging the seed coat?

I have attached three photos of the cyclid wasp. I'm sorry they are not of higher quality. One of them shows some of the damage to a seed. The wasp completely bored out the center of the seed. They have a bit of contortionist in them, as they are large enough to be seen by the naked eye, but small enough to completely climb into an alfalfa seed.