USDA Forest Service National Tree Seed Laboratory

1
USDA Forest Service National Tree Seed
Laboratory

• 50 years of service to global reforestation

2
National Tree Seed Laboratory
3
Laboratory Functions

• Seed Testing of all tree, shrub, and native
  plants in the US using Association of Official
  Seed Analysts (AOSA) rules
• Seed Bank seed to international researchers,
  certificates for international seed shipments
• Technical Assistance solve seed problems for
  the reforestation community
• Seed Technology Center information
  distribution, www.ntsl.fs.fed.us

4
Seed Testing

• Standardized seed tests for public, private, and
  corporate agencies
• Germination percent with X-ray analysis
• Purity percent
• Seed per pound, seed per kilogram
• Moisture content percent
• Filled seed percent from X-ray analysis
• Estimated viability percent

5
Quality Systems Program

• Accredited by International Seed Testing
  Association
• Review in October 2004
• Quality Assurance Manual developed and audited
  internally
• Management Review of manual
• Standard Operating Procedures for each seed test

6
International Involvement

• Organization for Economic Community Development
  (OECD) tree seed committee
• International Seed Testing Association (ISTA)
  meetings and committees
• International Union of Forest Research
  Organizations (IUFRO) seed physiology committee
• ISTA certificates for international seed
  shipments
• Visiting scientists from other countries
• International conferences

7
Yearly Seed Test Requests
8
Seed Tests Type by Year
9
Speciality Tests
10
International Seed Bank

• Clearinghouse for international seed shipments
  from the Forest Service to international
  researchers for genetic testing for a small fee
• Maintain small seed bank in storage
• Export / Import requirements for seed
• Obtain phytosanitary certificates and permits
• Expanded future role germplasm conservation

11
Technical Assistance

• Free workshops on seed testing and cleaning
• Individual training on seed testing
  
• Tours for visiting scientists of reforestation
  programs (public and private)
• Projects and studies on seed problems
• Support to other testing laboratories- ring tests
  with ISTA and AOSA
• Site visits to nurseries, seed plants, etc
• Publications- regional, national, international
• Presentations at conferences, meetings

12
Projects and Studies

• Juniperus scopulorum seed dormancy study
• Quercus rubra seed sizing study in Northeast
• Pinus palustris laboratory nursery temperature
  study
• Germination media study of Pinus palustris and
  Pinus taeda for AOSA and ISTA
• Seed storage study of Taxodium distichum,
  Liriodendron tulipera, Nyssa, Fraxinus
  pennsylvanica
• Prunus persica paper on tetrazolium and excised
  embryo for ISTA
• Stratification study of Diosypros, Malus,
  Liriodendron

13
Seed Technology Center

• Technology Transfer- publications, information
  distribution
• Websites www.ntsl.fs.fed.us , rngr.net,
• Training workshops, conferences
• Woody Plant Seed Manual Ag Handbook 450,
  ww.ntsl.fs.fed.us
• Forest Service publications Tree Planters
  Notes, The Native Plant Journal, Seed Dealers
  Directory