June 2-6th, 2024 Rapid City, South Dakota

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS
*Registration*
*Agenda*
*Virtual Committee Meeting Agenda*
*Hotel and Meeting FAQs*
*RGT Exam*
*Research Paper Session*–deadline, April 30^th!
*Seed Issues Forum/Poster Session*–deadline, May 3^rd!
*STRF Auction*
*Workshops*

Reminder: Registration ENDS May 15^th  

Less than ONE month to register for this year’s meeting!
You can register online via the links posted on the meeting website HERE
Interested Exhibitors, Register HERE!
Interested Sponsors can register HERE; take a look at the full sponsor packet HERE
 
HOTEL ROOM BLOCK is STILL OPEN!
There are still rooms available in the meeting’s hotel room block; book HERE . Once on the page, scroll down to enter your dates, and click Search. Do NOT change the Rate Preference; it should read: “Group Rate, Travel Agent”. Click Search and the rooms available in the meeting block will appear. If you are having any issues, please email Kelly directly: kelly@wssdc.com . The room block will CLOSE May 10^th, book your room today!

Meeting AGENDA
Check out the meeting agenda posted HERE

 
Virtual Committee Meeting Agenda
You can find a full list of virtual committee meetings and their respective Zoom links on the meeting website, or by clicking HERE

Upcoming meeting of note!
Open Rules Discussion: Tuesday, May 7^th; 10am-Noon Mountain Time
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82635259429?pwd=RTZqcFRidFA0YytPNnRIekN5WkgzQT09

Hotel FAQ

Airport Shuttle: The hotel provides an airport shuttle for $12/person/trip. The hotel recommends guests call when they land at the airport; by the time you deboard and get your luggage, the shuttle should be there. For your return trip back to the airport, the hotel recommends that you stop at the front desk the day before departure and schedule a shuttle ride.

Meeting FAQ:

What’s included in your meeting registration?

• Monday-Thursday meals and breaks provided:

**Do you have a food allergy or other restrictions that the hotel should be aware of? Email Kelly at kelly@wssdc.com to communicate and requests.

• Monday:
  • Light breakfast options to start the day: yogurt parfaits and breakfast breads; coffee and tea
  • Opening Session Brunch
  • Afternoon Break: cookies, fruit, soda and coffee
  • Poster Session Reception: 1 drink ticket provided; light food options/appetizers
• Tuesday:
  • Breakfast buffet: eggs, fruit, potatoes, bacon, corn beef hash, coffee, and tea
  • No morning break
  • Boxed lunch to-go (ahead of tour)
• Wednesday:
  • Breakfast buffet: eggs, bacon potatoes, breakfast pastries, coffee and tea
  • Morning break: coffee/tea, muffins and scones
  • Lunch: soup and sandwich buffet
  • Afternoon break: coffee/tea only
  • Awards Dinner: Plated beef entrée
• Thursday:
  • Breakfast buffet (similar to Wednesday option); coffee and tea
  • Coffee and tea available throughout business meetings

• Offsite Tour
  • Grab the boxed lunch/to-go lunch provided; you may eat your lunch prior to boarding the bus or on the bus
  • No other food or beverage will be provided on the tour; please plan to bring any snacks or water/beverages you require
    • There will be multiple places to purchase food and beverage items at both tour stops (Keystone and Mt. Rushmore)
  • The tour is expected to arrive back at the hotel around 6pm; dinner/supper is on your own
• Registration Hours:
  • Sunday: 7:30am-5pm
  • Monday: 7:30am-5pm
  • Tuesday: 7:30am-Noon

Wednesday: 7:30am-5pm (Registration closes Wednesday)

 RGT Exam

This year’s RGT Exam is scheduled for:

Sunday, June 2^nd
1pm-5pm
Room: Salon A

Application submission due date: May 2^nd, 2024
 
For questions, or if you are interested in taking the exam, please contact Molly Richeson at molly.richeson@agreliantgenetics.com

Call for Abstracts for the Research Paper Session
 
Deadline to submit Abstracts: April 30, 2024
 
2024 Research Paper Session
Wednesday, June 5th; 1pm-2:30pm
 
Researchers/analysts who have conducted research on germination, purity, cultivar identification, molecular techniques, statistical testing tools/tolerances, bioassays, vigor testing methods, new innovations in seed testing or other aspects of seed physiology, seed quality, or seed testing are encouraged to present a paper or a poster at the AOSA/SCST Annual Meeting in Rapid City, SD.
 
Indicate if you would like to present an oral presentation or poster in the meeting. Remember that a good, informative abstract presents a complete paper in summary.
 
Abstract guidelines:

• State the rationale for the study in one or two sentences.
• Provide a brief description of the objective(s), the hypothesis, materials and methods, key results, their applications, and the conclusions.
• Give the scientific name for crops when first mentioned in the abstract, after that use the common name.
• Define the abbreviations that are used in the abstract.
• Do not cite figures, tables, or references in the abstract.
• Write it in a single paragraph and limit the abstract to 400 words or less.
• Use 11 or 12-point font size, Calibri or Times New Roman.

Please, include the author(s) name(s), address, institution, or company. In case of multiple authors for oral presentations, please indicate the corresponding author who will present the paper and the email address.
Email abstracts to: sabry.elias@oregonstate.edu. If you have any questions, please email us.

Thank you.

Sabry Elias and Eunsoo Choe AOSA/SCST Research Committee Chairs

Seed Issues Forum/Poster Session Reception

Let Us Know What SEED ISSUES You Are Facing!!
 
We will once again be holding the Seed Issues Forum/Poster Session on Monday, June 3rd from 5pm-7pm at the AOSA SCST Annual Meeting in Rapid City, South Dakota.
 
This is a perfect opportunity to showcase any research projects that you are currently working on, and a great chance to gather input on any seed related issues that the industry or yourself are facing. 
 
Please send an email to Kelly Fogarty at: kelly@wssdc.com with the following information if interested in participating: 
 

• Title of poster/table
• Electrical needs (do you require an outlet/power?)
• Indicate if you will be presenting a poster or if you will require a table
• You MUST EMAIL in order to reserve a spot for the Reception; logistics will need to be arranged for poster easels, additional tables, etc. If you do not email to reserve your spot, it is not guaranteed that we will be able to accommodate your poster and/or table needs.

Emails to reserve your spot must be received by: Friday, May 3^rd . Email: kelly@wssdc.com

STRF Silent Auction
17^th Annual Seed Testing Research Foundation (STRF) Silent Auction!
This year’s Silent Auction will be hosted at the Annual Meeting Banquet, which will be held onsite at the Hotel, Wednesday, June 5^th from 6pm-8pm.

Three Ways to Be Part of the Success!

1. Sponsor Challenge: Be a sponsor or donate a gift certificate
2. State Basket Challenge: Pool items from your state/region and create a basket (College/State sweatshirts, coffee mugs, nonperishable food, etc.) — See the Basket Challenge infographic HERE!
3. Creative Challenge: Get creative and donate items such as the ones listed here (item must be able to be “shipped” to buyer): quilts, pillowcases, framed photographs, handmade jewelry, handcrafted birdhouses, seed and plant books, knitted & crochet gifts, artwork, local foods, herbariums, antique lab equipment, fishing flies, seed analysis kit—get creative!

Donation questions? Contact an STRF Board Member:
Tim Gutormson: timgutormson@sodaklabs.com 
Randy Crowl: randy.crowl@colostate.edu 
Susan Alvarez: salvarez@cheerful.com
Cindy Finneseth: Cindy.Finneseth@gmail.com
Andrae McMillian: Andrae.McMillian@agi.alabama.gov
Riad Baalbaki: riad.baalbaki@cdfa.ca.gov 
Sabry Elias: Sabry.Elias@oregonstate.edu
STRF is a 501 ©(3) Organization, Founded 2002

WORKSHOPS

TWO workshops will be offered at the 2024 Annual Meeting; you can register for both workshops on the meeting webpage;

• Seedling Evaluation HERE
• Referee Testing & Application of Tolerances HERE

WORKSHOP #1:
Seedling Evaluation Workshop
Sunday, June 2^nd
8am-Noon
Registration Rate: $150 (includes workshop and morning break; NO lunch)
 
Agenda
This half-day workshop aims to train analysts on evaluating species of three sections of Vol. 4 of the Rules. Those sections were the focus of recent surveys in which a majority of AOSA/SCST analysts participated. Survey results revealed some issues that require focused training: a. variation among analysts in evaluating specific conditions within each family/species; b.  common evaluation mistakes when abnormalities are caused by test conditions; and c. apparent lack of clarity of some evaluation standards listed in Vol. 4 of the Rules. Each of these areas will be addressed through virtual training using multiple seedling images. Workshop contents:

1. Review of problem areas revealed by recent seedling evaluation surveys (45 minutes).
2. Practical training (virtual images) on evaluating species of Poaceae I – Cereals section of Vol. 4 of the Rules (1 hour).
3. Practical training (virtual images) on evaluating species in the Cucurbitaceae section of Vol. 4 of the Rules (1 hour).
4. Practical training (virtual images) on evaluating lettuce (Asteraceae I – Lettuce) beyond descriptions found in Vol. 4 of the Rules (45 minutes).

General discussion (15 minutes).
 
WORKSHOP #2:
Referee Testing and Application of Tolerances Workshop

Sunday, June 2^nd
1pm-5pm
Registration Rate: $150 (includes workshop and afternoon break; NO lunch)
 
Agenda
This half-day workshop aims to provide analysts with training on:

1. Principles of conducting referee and research studies.
2. Applications of tolerances and interpretations.
3. How to use the Excel calculator to determine purity/noxious weed weight and seed count for new species.

 
Participants will be guided in developing methods and procedures for addressing objectives and protocols of referee and research studies, as well as proper applications of tolerances and their interpretation.
 
Participants are encouraged to propose specific topics for discussion before or during the workshop.
 
I. Referee/research studies (R. Baalbaki; 1:00-2:15pm)

1. Principles of referee testing: objectives, hypothesis, and types of tests.
2. Referee testing for proposing new rules or revisions to existing rules.
3. Referee test applications: purity, germination, and other tests.
4. Excel calculation of purity weight & seed count for new species (2:15-2:45pm).

 
Break: 2:45-3:00pm
 
II. Tolerances application and interpretation (S. Elias; 3:00-5:00pm)

1. Principles and applications, non-chaffy, chaffy, super chuffy, and native tolerances.
2. Effects of sample size and seed quality on tolerances – probability of errors – one sided and two-sided tolerances. Comparing label with a second test.
3. Tolerances for purity and germination components (pure, other crop seed, weed seed, inert, normal, abnormal seedlings, and dead seeds).
4. Tolerances of mixture of seeds of different sizes. 
5. Tolerances for fluorescence test and other tests using morphological traits.
6. Tolerances for vigor tests such as AAT and EC.
7. Open discussion and conclusion of the workshop.