REGISTRATION OPEN for 2025 Germination Testing and Advanced Purity Testing Short Courses!

For more than 100 years, the Seed Lab and the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University have provided training for seed industry professionals by hosting short courses and workshops. Each April through August we facilitate workshops covering topics ranging from seed testing and cleaning, to gravity separation, color sorting, and seed treatment.

Seed Quality Workshops

Germination Testing Workshop

Date: April 28-May 1

Exam: May 2

Cost: $600.00

During Germination week, participants gain experience evaluating seedlings of 16 species (crops, vegetables, flowers grasses, etc.) using the warm germination test, plus working with the cold test, accelerated aging test, tests for biotech traits (herbicide bioassay, immunoassay), tetrazolium and more. A popular and unique highlight of the week is a three-hour session of moving between stations for hands-on work in the Germination lab. The AOSA/SCST Germination Exam will be offered on the final day, May 2.

LEARN MORE about Germination Testing Short Course

Advanced Purity Workshop

Date: May 5-8

Exam: May 9

Cost: $600.00

This course will provide an opportunity for participants with experience in Purity Analysis to see species which they may not typically encounter in the lab or to study for the AOSA/SCST Purity Exam, which will be offered at the end of the week. We will study the AOSA Rules from the perspective of potentially taking the exam and work through more challenging aspects of the rules. Lectures will be interactive and open discussion will be encouraged. Topics will be accompanied by worksheets to work through problems, as well as hands on samples.

LEARN MORE about Advanced Purity Short Course

Seed Technology and Business Events

Save the Date! Seed Science & Technology On-Campus Short Course

Date: November 19-21

Cost: TBD

Save the date to join us in person for the Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business (STB) on-campus short course exploring topics in Seed Science and Technology! Short course attendees will participate in focused morning presentations and discussions, and finish the day with industry tours.

Seed Conditioning Workshops

The 2025 Seed Conditioning Workshops and dates are to be determined. We will email you when specific workshops and dates have been set.

Potential 2025 Seed Conditioning Workshops:

Food Grade Bean Conditioning
Commercial Popcorn Conditioning
Color Sorting
Specialty Seed Conditioning
Seed Corn Conditioning
Soybeans and Small Grain Seed Conditioning
Seed Treatment
Gravity Separation