Horticulture Principles and Practices

BRIEF OUTLINE OF SEED TESTING
ETHAN WALTERMIRE
Manager, Colorado Seed Laboratory
SEED TESTING
Seed sold on the open market must be labeled so consumers can ascertain the quality of
the seed they are purchasing. Information that appears on seed labels is determined by
having the seed tested by a seed laboratory or an independent seed analyst. The Colorado
Seed Laboratory is the official state lab for Colorado, and is a member of the Association
of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA). The lab performs seed tests for commercial,
certification, regulatory, and research applications (Figure 1).
The Colorado Seed Laboratory began testing seed in 1912. Located in Fort Collins,
Colorado, on the campus of Colorado State University, the lab has been on the forefront
of seed testing for over 95 years. Many seed testing procedures were researched and
developed in Colorado. Depending on the location of a seed lab they will specialize in
testing certain species. Labs in the northwest specialize in turf grasses, while those in the
southeast specialize in cotton, peanuts, and soybeans. In Colorado native seed testing is
prominent, but the lab also tests a variety of agricultural and horticultural crops grown
in the western region.
As seed production and trade becomes internationalized, industry and governments
have made issues surrounding seed quality a top priority. Assuring a quality product,
stopping the spread of noxious weeds, and accurate labeling are top concerns. Growers
and companies must adhere to the highest standards if they want to represent their product
well in a highly competitive market.
AOSA RULES FOR TESTING SEED
The Colorado Seed Laboratory is an official AOSA laboratory, and the majority of our
tests conform to the AOSA rules. The AOSA rules give labs a uniform set of procedures
to follow when testing seed. The primary reason for having rules regarding seed testing
is consistency; it should be possible to replicate the results of a Colorado seed test in
other states.
FIGURE 1 Logo of Colorado
Seed. (Source: Annette Miller, USDA-
ARS National Center for Genetic Resources
Preservation. Fort Collins, Colorado).
288 Chapter 9 Sexual Propagation