Before those treated seeds can be planted in a farmer’s field, BASF has to make sure they will germinate and grow successfully, and that is the job of Dr. Michael Merk – just call him “the Germinator.”

“We test all different seeds in terms of germination,” he says. “The germination is very important to see if there is any damage in terms of germination on the roots or any delays.”

Merk says doing the germinating in the lab as opposed to in the field speeds the whole process because it can be done quickly and at any time of the year.

Listen to my interview with Dr. Merk here:
basf-merk.mp3

View the Flickr Photo Album from BASF in Germany and Brussels