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Introduction
Germination is a basic and one of the oldest criteria for seed quality evaluation. Within ISTA, many studies have been carried out in 80 years or so. Nowadays, the ISTA rules for germination offer a few thousands of equivalent alternative methods for more than 600 species covering the Agricultural and Vegetable species, Tree and Shrubs, Flower, Spice, Herb and Medicinal species. The germination test methods are more or less the same since the beginning of the 20th century: to germinate seed samples in a substrate, in controlled environmental conditions.
The aims of the Germination Committee are mainly:
- To update and contribute to improve the test methods in application of the increasing knowledge, the technical and technological progresses or the regulations requests as ISTA standard of accreditation, ISO 17025…
- To improve the rules in chapter 5 of the ISTA rules
- To create training material e.g. Handbooks
- To introduce method for species not covered by the rules. A specific attention will be brought to tropical and subtropical species.
- To share the knowledge among laboratories and seed testing people to facilitate the exchange and improve the standardisation.
The committee has recently produced a new handbook for seedling evaluation (authors: R. Don, G. Mac Larren), and is revising the structure of the substrate part of the germination chapter. This includes the extension of the authorised substrates to mixtures of mineral and organic compounds.
The work is done within working groups gathering experts and voluntary people from all origins interested in sharing experience. Close links exist with other committees (flower, tree and shrub, statistics) or the ISTA accreditation department.
The committee is very interested in listening and sharing suggestions from all.
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Job opportunities
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Seed Science and Technology
Print and Online Subscription available for 2008
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SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL
(ISTA News Bulletin) No. 135 April 2008 is available for download
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ISTA Accredits its 100th Seed Testing Laboratory
Read the full Press Release!
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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
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Information Platform for GM Seed
Visit the info platform
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Accreditation Documents for the Testing of Specified Traits
Related Documents for download
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