Seed Today - Q4 2008 - (Page 34)

Harmonization of Seed Testing Methods This fall AOSA and SCST participated in a workshop organized by the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) in Ottawa, Ontario to explore opportunities for harmonizing the Canadian Methods and Procedures for Testing Seed (M&P) and the AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds (AOSA Rules). There were 10 participants at the workshop including government and industry experts representing the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), CSI, AOSA and SCST. Seedling evaluation protocols and working sample sizes for purity/noxious analysis were identified as potential areas for harmonization between the M&P and the AOSA Rules because greater impact could potentially be achieved by harmonizing in these areas versus other areas. The criteria for determining which species should be harmonized was established as to crop kinds imported into Canada for seed that require larger sample sizes to carry out the M&P analysis than to carry out the AOSA analysis. Crops identified for proposed changes are: 1. Cereals and in particular oats, rye, triticale, and buckwheat (M&P is >25,000 seeds) 2. Beans, corn, peas, safflower, soybeans, sunflower (AOSA sample size is 25,000 seeds), and oilseed B. juncea (M&P and AOSA samples size >25,000 seeds). 4. Lespedeza (M&P sample size >25,000). 5. Small clovers (M&P sample size >25,000). 6. Timothy (M&P sample size >25,000). 7. Fine leaved fescue (M&P and AOSA >25,000) and hard fescues (M&P sample size >25,000). 8. Bluegrasses, bentgrasses, and redtop (AOSA and M&P sample size >25,000). 9. Reduce sample size for species where AOSA and the M&P require more than 25,000 seeds to be examined. Why Harmonize? The purpose of harmonizing seed testing rules is to increase uniformity in testing, thereby facilitating the international movement of seed. Currently Canada and the United States utilize different, but similar, seed testing methods and rules. The goal of this harmonization effort is to synchronize sections of the seed testing methods where current differences may cause disruptions or delays in the movement of seed between our two countries. The Path Forward Working groups will be established to evaluate the identified differences. These working groups will bring forward recommendations for changes to the Canadian Methods & Procedures and the AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds. Rule proposals will be developed to be voted on in March, 2010 for Canada and June, 2010 for AOSA. The Harmonization Steering Committee will work with stakeholders to ensure that this process is transparent and that all interested parties have the opportunity to contribute to the development of harmonized seed testing standards. Please contact us if you have any questions about this process. Anita Hall, SCST Executive Director scst@twcny.rr.com www.seedtechnology.net Dr. Brent Turnipseed, RST, AOSA President brent.turnipseed@sdstate.edu www.aosaseed.com Focus of Harmonization Efforts Seedling Evaluation. Focus on crop kinds with the greatest impact on trade, seed production, and consumers were selected for harmonization efforts. Using this criteria, corn, cereals, the mustard family, soybeans, and the consideration of hard seeds in large seeded legumes were identified for consideration. Purity Sample Working Weights. The major difference in working sample sizes between the M&P and the AOSA Rules are: 1. The basis for working sample sizes in AOSA is 2,500 seed units minimum for a purity analysis and a noxious on 25,000 seed units with an upper limit of 500 grams per sample. 2. In the M&P, sample sizes were historically based on multiples or fractions of imperial weight measures (pound or ounce); M&P sample sizes also facilitate sequential analysis for testing. http://www.seedtechnology.net http://www.seedtechnology.net http://www.aosaseed.com http://www.aosaseed.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Seed Today - Q4 2008

Seed Today - Q4 2008 Contents Editor’s Notes Syngenta Cornelius Seed Moews Seed Co. Gustafson Equipment DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred AOSCA Richard Payne, Ph.D. Lou Buice According to ASTA AOSA/SCST New Products Seed Shorts Corporate Notes ANEX Mfg Berg Equipment Popp Engineering New PVP Certificates Ad Index

Seed Today - Q4 2008

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