The laboratory was founded in 1938 by Prof. Menko Plaut and subsequently developed under the direction of Dr. Haya Gelmond (who formulated the Seed Law – 1956 and the Plant Breeders Rights Law – 1973) until 1976. Dr. Dov Globerson headed the laboratory from 1976 to 1993. From 1993 until 2020 Lea Mazor, M.Sc headed the laboratory.The laboratory is part of the Institute of Plant Sciences of the Agricultural Research Organization at Volcani Center.
The Israel Official Seed Testing Laboratory has been an ISTA member since its establishment and is re-accredited by ISTA since 2001.
Mission
The laboratory’s major function is to perform reliable seed testing to ensure and promote seed quality of commercial seeds intended for import, export and local marketing in Israel.
The laboratory is engaged both in scientific research and in scientific services, including laboratory testing and field-trials of commercial seed quality.
Research is conducted in various areas related to maintenance and improvement of seed quality, such as development and adaptation of new testing methods for seed vigour ; solving problems arising during quality testing; and introduction of methods for rapid evaluation of seed quality and viability.
Scientific Services
Seed tests in the laboratory are conducted in many crops (vegetables, field crops, flowers and trees) according to ISTA Rules or Quality Manual procedures:
1. Purity: Visual separation of sample fractions; identifying cultivated seeds, other noxious – weed seeds; determining 1000-seed weight; determining the fraction of damaged seeds for cotton and peanuts.
2. Germination: Germinability of seeds under various conditions, including dormancy breaking; tetrazolium and other viability tests; seed vigour measurements using: cool test, cold test and conductivity tests; seed moisture content, etc.
Accreditation
The Israel Official Seed Testing Laboratory (ILDL01) is accredited by the International Seed Testing Association and may issue ISTA International Seed Analysis Certificates for the following tests: Purity analysis, Determination of other seeds by number, Germination test, Vigour testing, 1000 seeds weight, Seed moisture content, Testing coated seed and Sampling (with collaboration of PPIS).Scope of ISTA Accreditation: type of tests, detailed standard methods.
Policy Statement
The laboratory quality system, meets the requirements of the ISTA Accreditation Standard for Seed Testing Laboratories, based on the current ISTA International Rules for Seed Testing.
Management and analysts are committed to the quality system. The quality documentation is regularly reviewed on effectiveness. It is pragmatic, efficient and up to date.
The Official Seed Testing Laboratory bases its activity on the quality of service given to customers. Seed Laboratory management and staff act to provide customers with high-quality service, as defined in the International Rules and according to the Israeli Law requirements.
The tests are performed accurately and reliably, in time and at and at a cost determined by the Department of Finance, Agricultural Research Organization, (ARO), Ministry of Agriculture.
Within this framework the laboratory pursues and emphasizes the following objectives:
- Quality of service
The quality system established in the laboratory ensures continuous control on quality of service. An advanced quality system will be achieved through continuously drawing conclusions , as a stimulant for persistent improvement.
- Laboratory staff
Excellence is based on staff quality. A systematic promotion of skills and knowledge of all staff members is accomplished by appropriate training, and internal/external quality control. The staff is fully aware of their authorities and responsibilities and is committed to self-reliance, self-control and prevention of errors.
- Customer focus
The laboratory maintains close contact with customers to keep abreast of their requirements and expectations as well as to provide independent, timely, accurate and reproducible analysis results, essential for the efficient operation of their businesses. The laboratory will initiate constant improvements of service quality and will act to enhance its professional standards.
Management commitment to the quality system forms the basis for the laboratory development and progress, customer benefit and staff welfare.
Facilities
The laboratory has the essential equipment and infrastructure facilities for purity determination and germination. These include germination rooms and cabins, incubators, balances, dividers, a laboratory mill, chemical hoods, biological hood, an oven, water baths, microscopes and binoculars.The staff has appropriate working conditions which ensure proper execution of the tests.
Areas of Technical Expertise
The staff has expertise in seed quality testing on the following crops: vegetables, field crops, flowers and tree seeds.
Staff members specializations include botany, taxonomy, morphology, physiology and agrotechnique
Activities
Ongoing Research:
* Improving germination of field crops (sunflower, cotton, peanut).
* Developing methods for testing quality of vegetable seeds for export.
* Developing methods for testing seed vigour of field & garden crops.
Consultancy & training:
* Teaching courses in seed quality testing and production.
* In-house employee training in related areas.
* Training and consultancy for seed industry administration and workers.
* Training, guidance and demonstrations for university students.
* Periodical training for Israel Plant Protection and Inspection Services (PPIS) inspectors.
International Collaboration:
* ISTA – GERMINATION COMMITTEE.
* ISTA – FLOWER SEED COMMITTEE.
* OECD – Varietal purity testing of field crops for OECD certification.
