Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
on-the-Job Training
Most seed analysts in the past gained analytical proiciency through an apprenticeship under the supervi-
sion of experienced analysts over a number of years. Others received training and become interested while
students in pursuit of academic degrees. Regardless of background, at least two to four years of intense
training and routine testing experience will be required for most beginners to become proicient analysts.
This is particularly true for purity testing, especially for more dificult or small-seeded species that require
experience to differentiate seeds with similar morphological characteristics but represent different species
such as ryegrass and tall fescue seeds. It may also be true for seed health testing where identiication of
pathological symptoms is more dificult. It is also the case in many of the specialized tests for genetic purity,
especially for transgenic varieties.
Special Workshops
The effectiveness of seed testing depends on the ability of analysts to provide results that can be duplicated
in other laboratories. No analyst or laboratory can be expected to remain current with the state- of-the-art
of seed testing methods and problems that occur without regular participation in seed testing workshops
and meetings such as AOSA/SCST/SCAAC annual meetings and ISTA meetings where rule proposals to
change seed testing rules are presented and discussed. With the emergence of new technologies in the area
of seed testing and new genetically modiied crops it is important to both the seed industry and the seed
testing profession that analysts in different regions recognize and deal with problems in the same way to
maintain standardization in seed testing results. This can only be attained by regular participation in seed
testing workshops, seed schools, and meetings. Such workshops/seed schools covering special as well as
general seed testing methods occur throughout the year in both public and commercial laboratories.
CErTIfICATIon of AnALySTS
The credibility of seed testing depends on the reliability of the results produced, which, in turn, depends on
the ability, training and the competence of each analyst. It is thus important that the seed testing profession
have a way to certify the ability of analysts. Such programs are as follows:
registered Seed Technologist (rST) by SCST
The oldest analyst certiication program is that of the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (SCST).
Under this program analysts study and train under the tutorship of an experienced analyst for a minimum of
two years. Then they are required to pass a rigorous examination of seed identiication, practical exercises
and speciic questions on various aspects of seed testing. Analysts passing this examination are recognized
as Registered Seed Technologists and are given an oficial seal recognizing their proiciency which they
may use for reporting seed testing results. Although there is no comparable system for certifying labora-
tories, they receive their recognition through employment of Registered Seed Technologists, especially
in supervisory capacities. This is especially true for private and commercial laboratories, including those
associated with crop improvement associations.
Recently, the Society has expanded the certiication program to include RGT (Registered Genetic
Technologist) and CGT (Certiied Genetic Technologist) in the following areas: herbicide bioassay, PCR,
ELISA, and electrophoresis. These areas are used for testing the genetic traits and identiication of seed
from genetically modiied crops.
