Alexander breadth bound on Seifert genus ($\mathrm{br}{\Delta }_K\le 2g_s(K)$)

A minimal-genus Seifert surface has a $2g_s(K)$-by-$2g_s(K)$ Seifert matrix $V$. Each entry of $tV-V^T$ has degree at most one, so its determinant has breadth of a Laurent polynomial at most $2g_s(K)$. This lower bound on Seifert genus need not be sharp: an untwisted Whitehead double can have Alexander polynomial of a knot $1$ and positive Seifert genus.

Assume $g_s(K)>0$. A nontrivial connected sum of knots has positive genus summands, and additivity of Seifert genus applies. Its Alexander polynomial of a knot is the product of the summand polynomials. If the polynomial is irreducible, one summand has unit polynomial; the other must then have polynomial breadth $2g_s(K)$, exceeding twice its strictly smaller genus. This contradicts the Alexander breadth bound on Seifert genus. Irreducibility without the full-degree hypothesis alone does not imply primeness.