ISTA celebrates 100 years in Cambridge
GEVES was present at the ISTA (International Seed Testing Association) AGM, which this year celebrated its 100th birthday in the city where it was founded in 1924.
During the week of July from July 1 to 5:
- a seminar on “Seed quality assurance a critical component of food and nutritional security”,
- two days technical committees, and the General Meeting itself, with the vote with the vote on new seed analysis methods, an interministerial session and a joint and a joint ISTA/ISF forum (ISF also celebrated its 100th birthday).
The technical committee reports were rich in content, demonstrating the dynamism of the committees’ work to develop or improve seed testing methods. GEVES presented the activities of the “Sampling”, “Proficiency test” and “Nomenclature” committees, as well as work to develop a method for detecting Ascochyta rabiei on chickpea seed, and trials to validate a method for lifting dormancy on sunflower seed. Members of the technical committees also met to make progress on several subjects of interest (e.g. updating the Handbook for Seedling Evaluation, or revising the Handbook on Seed Vigour, etc.).
The interdepartmental session gave to representatives from different parts of the globe to present the seed production and quality control activities in these different regions, as well as the various challenges ahead in this sector.
Finally, the ISTA/ISF Forum provided an opportunity to discuss the main challenges facing quality seed production in the years ahead, in particular: climate change climate change, food security and biodiversity.
