Skip to Menu Skip to Search Contact Us Serbia Websites & Languages Skip to Content

Agriculture and Food › Seed and Crop › Seed Services

Agriculture and Food Genetic Testing

Sprouts

SGS’s genetic testing – including ELISA testing (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay) – helps you to determine the quality of your seeds and to ensure compliance with the appropriate national and international regulations. This builds market confidence and reduces your operating risks.

Our network of laboratories delivers the resources and expertise of a global player at both the local and international level. To help you succeed in today’s complex trading environment, we conduct a variety of genetic tests on different seed types:

Adventitious Presence (AP) testing

Our AP test determines the existence of transgenic events in alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, rice, soybean and sugar beet. This is vital if you supply or market grain and seeds on the basis that they feature no genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or low levels of GMO.

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) testing

This test detects and quantifies a specific protein that has been captured by an antibody. For example, we conduct tests for Bt corn (a specific kind of GMO) to ensure you are meeting trait licensing requirements. This helps to protect your crop – and profits – from attack.

Electrophoresis – isoelectric focusing (IEF) and isozyme testing

To test for genetic purity, we use the isozyme method for corn and IEF for alfalfa, oats, rice and wheat.

We perform inbred and hybrid purity testing – as a quality assurance test to evaluate true-types, off-types and self levels – and hybrid verification.

Herbicide trait test

We conduct this test for the following seeds and products:

  • Alfalfa - Roundup Ready® 
  • Canola – Roundup Ready® / LibertyLink® / Clearfield®
  • Maize - Roundup Ready® / LibertyLink® / Clearfield®
  • Rice – Clearfield®
  • Soybean - Roundup Ready® / LibertyLink® / STS®

Herbicide tolerance test

We conduct this test for the following products:

  • Liberty® – a fast-acting broad-spectrum grass and broadleaf weed control 
  • Roundup Ready® – a systemic, broad-spectrum herbicide

DNA and PCR services

We offer a range of GMO detection services based upon deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that identifies GMOs to levels as low as 0.01%.

Trait testing

We perform the following trait tests:

  • ELISA
  • Specialized Testing – Breeder
  • Quantitative Cry1Ab Cry1f

Varietal purity test (hilum examination)

We conduct varietal purity tests (also known as hilum examinations, referring to the part of the seed that was attached to the fruit) on samples of 100g. We can complete the test within two days.

Waxy corn purities

We conduct waxy corn purities on samples of 800 seeds, based on submissions of at least 250g.

Contact SGS now to find out how our genetic tests can help to ensure regulatory compliance, build market confidence and reduce your operating risks.