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Activity Report
1. Finalise the ISTA Handbook for Seedling evaluation
Leader: R. Don
Members: All Germination Committee members with the participation of Flower Seed Committee and Tree and Shrub Committee members
After tremendous efforts from the working group and the secretariat, the handbook is being printed. Already new information is proposed on flowers. The new format will allow permanent improvement. The new format of this document reborn in 2004 will allow a permanent updating. The Handbook will be presented in Budapest at the XXVII ISTA congress.
2. Liaison with the Flower Seed Committee
Leader: L. Mazor
Members: Haakon Tangeraas, Sylvie Ducournau, Aleta Meyr, Laureen C. Nyabani, Gizella Horvath, Marcia Taylor and FSC members.
The group has reviewed the flower part of the handbook.
Seedling evaluation group of Tagetes caused a debate among working group members due to inconsistent results of two comparative tests. Further investigation reveals that the primary root plays an important role and that secondary roots may occasionally develop during the test period, but they are not taken into account in seedling evaluation. Thus, the members came to the conclusion that the present evaluation group: A 2.1.1.1 is the correct one.
3. Harmonise rules between AOSA and ISTA « Substrates and the use of germination temperatures listed in the ISTA rules for germination of sunflower »
Co-leaders: L. Wiesner, S. Ducournau
Members : I. Baziet, H. Faucher, C. Leonhart, C. Wurzer, C. Cadger, B. Mpofu, S. Jones, A. van Pijlen, G. Horvath, D. Ashton, R.C. Lawson, M. Muggl, M. Hafdahl, S. Hanson
In order to decide if compost can be used as primary substrate for sunflower germination a comparative test between seed laboratories from ISTA and AOSA on some sunflower seed samples has been organised in 2003.
10 ISTA laboratories and 6 AOSA laboratories agreed in participating to the comparative test.
Five samples have been collected and sent to the participants in April 2003. Participants were requested to perform germination tests on 3 different substrates (paper, sand and compost) at one temperature (20°C).
Up to now, 14 laboratories have reported their results from May to October 2003 (10 from ISTA laboratories and 4 from AOSA laboratories). Results from one laboratory are still expected.
From the 14 answers, 4 laboratories did not followed the correct protocol (temperature different from 20°C, number of seeds lower than 400 per sample, only 2 germination methods performed instead of 3).
Regarding the number of results that can be analysed, co-leaders are waiting for the results of the last laboratory before starting the report. Complete and detailed report is planned for the beginning of 2004 in order to present the results at the Congress in Budapest.
A preliminary statistical analysis shows that results of normal seedlings are higher with the use of compost for germination. This is due to a decrease of abnormal seedlings (principally) and of non germinated seeds (to a less extent).
Compost gives higher or equal results with the method used in routine in each laboratory (sand or paper), even if the laboratory is not experienced with compost.
The variability between laboratories is decreased with the use of compost compared to sand and paper.
The results obtained in this experiment allow the recommendation of compost as primary substrate for Sunflower germination.
Obviously, the term "compost" is inappropriate regarding the composition of this type of substrate. Another term and a precise description of this type of substrate are proposed inside the Committee in order to be proposed to be included in ISTA Rules in 2005.
4. Use of KNO3 to break Dormancy of cereals
Leader: G. Muller
A comparative test on dormant and non dormant barley seed lots, including 8 European laboratories and 7 seed lots has been organised. Six treatments were applied (water, water and prechill 5 days, GA3 and prechill 5 days, KNO3 and prechill 5 days, GA3, KNO3)
KNO3 alone or associated with prechill 5 days does not significatively improve the germination as a percentage of normal seedlings (KNO3 = 76,8 %, KNO3 + prechill = 72,9 %) compared with water (72 %) and other pre treatments (prechill = 86 %, GA3 + prechill = 86,8 %, GA3 = 83 %).
These tests confirm the efficiency of GA3 alone or in combination with prechill.
Table: Effect of dormancy breaking treatments – Comparative test 6 laboratories, 7 seed lots.
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5. Revision of the ISTA Rules
Leader: J. Lechappe
Members: all committee members
In direct application of the studies on substrates on sunflower, the opportunity to enlarge the type of substrates allowed in the current ISTA rules is under starting discussion.
Proposals and arguments will be submitted for an open discussion in Budapest to prepare a vote in 2005. A new structure of the relevant paragraphs of chapter 5 (e.g., 5.4., 5.4.A.2., 5.4.A.3, 5.4.A.4. and table 5A methods and part 1.2.3.) will be submitted.
A standard terminology and updating of substrates descriptions according to international standards will be proposed.
The question of the calculation of tolerances on all three categories of germs (normal, abnormal, non germinated seed) is till under discussion.
Future Aims
For the last series of years, the major progresses made have been focused on the
· Updating of the ISTA Handbook on Seedling Evaluation.
· Evaluation of the opportunity to enlarge the types of substrates allowed.
· Germination of flower species in liaison with the flower seed committee.
The proposed aims are:
· The main proposals are to come in the next periods as consequence of the work done until now. Amendments of the rules have been proposed:
- Evolution of definition and type of substrates commonly used for the germination tests.
- Quality Assurance requirements (tolerances, uncertainty of measurement, consistency between chapter and annexes, check of substrates toxicity)
· Need of massive introduction of tropical and subtropical species.
· The training should be a major aim. First on the basis of the updated handbook for seedling evaluation and if voted on, second on the substrates and the use of ISO or EU standards methods to prepare and check the substrates and third on the use of calculation of results (rounding of results, tolerances and eventually uncertainty of measurements).
Acknowledgements
As I am resigning as chairperson of the Germination Committee at the end of this period (2001-2004), I wish to thank the Germination Committee Members. The Committee has worked on a basis of working groups. The working groups' members and their leaders have been the hard workers and producers of the Committee, often in the shadow.
The link with the very active flower and tree and shrub Committees has been very fruitful.
Acknowledgements are also going to the Secretariat and Bettina who brought a tremendous input in the running of the Committee.
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ISTA Seed Mixture Experiment
ISTA is initiating an experiment to collect information that may be used to determine the reliability of seed mixture test results and establish tolerances.
More info »
ISTA Annual Meeting 2009 in Switzerland
Register Online Now!
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29th ISTA Congress 2010
1st Call for Papers for the Seed Symposium of the ISTA Congress 2010 in Cologne, Germany
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Universal List of Species
ISTA has published a list of 130 plant species that accredited laboratories may wish to include in their seed collections
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SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL
(ISTA News Bulletin) No. 136 October 2008 for download
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Accreditation Documents for the Testing of Specified Traits
Related Documents for download
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ISTA / ISF Experiment on Herbage Seed Lot Size
The ISTA / ISF Experiment on Herbage Seed Lot Size
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ISTA signs Memorandum of Understanding with FAO
Read the full Press Release
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