The Cultivar Purity Committee promotes research, innovations, and education in cultivar purity testing which includes morphological, chemical, molecular genetic and other seed tests. The goal of this committee is to assist the seed analyst in the accurate, quick identification of crop cultivars using test methods in the Cultivar Purity Handbook. The main functions of this committee are to review cultivar purity tests for changes or addition into the Cultivar Purity Handbook and to review and update the handbook when necessary.

• The Cultivar Purity Sub-Committee Meeting was called to order at 9 am, June 7 by Co-chair Jeff Prischmann. Sign-in sheets were distributed and the agenda was approved. The minutes from last year’s Cultivar Purity Sub-Committee Meeting were also reviewed.
• Dr. Sabry Elias presented information regarding changing the formula for determining the proportions of annual ryegrass and perennial ryegrass in the pure seed component from the purity test. This is presented in a rule proposal to be voted on by the membership at the 2016 Portland Annual meeting.  This presentation indicated the need to update the formula.  With emergence of highly fluorescent perennial ryegrass varieties, the current formula is no longer relevant.
• Melissa Phillips presented information regarding a wheat cultivar purity referee to determine red/white wheat in a sample using NaOH or KOH that was conducted this past spring. This information suggests the potential need for a uniform test that may need to be included in the AOSA rules.
• The Cultivar Purity Handbook rewrite was also discussed.  The suggested timeline for completing the revisions and submitting them to Handbook Committee for review was set for Fall 2016.
• The meeting was adjourned at 10:00am