Erica Dello Jacovo is a PhD student at the University of Pavia (Italy), and one of the Early Stage Researchers in the Initial Training Network called NASSTEC (Native Seed Science Technology and Conservation). Erica is doing her research at The James Hutton Institute in Scotland (Dundee site) and her project is focused on the development of seed and seedling techniques to characterize and improve their germination and establishment traits. The target species used for her work are wild legume species native to the Scottish grasslands. _x000D_
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During the 31st ISTA Congress in Tallinn, Estonia (June 14 – 21, 2016), she gave an oral presentation titled “Perspectives on the conservation and restoration of native wild legumes: the biology and ecology of Astragalus, Oxytropis and Lathyrus species as models”. The focus of the presentation was on the characterization of the morphological and germination traits of Lathyrus linifolius, a wild legume native of Scottish grassland._x000D_
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This Q&A is the latest instalment in the International Seed Testing Association’s Fresh in the Field series._x000D_
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How and when did you first learn about ISTA?_x000D_
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I learned about ISTA from my working colleagues, during the second year of my PhD, as an important organization for seed technology and seed quality control._x000D_
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How is ISTA helping you in your daily job?_x000D_
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I am studying seeds of wild legumes native to Scotland, trying to test techniques to improve germination and predict seed quality: I use articles and protocols approved from ISTA to find techniques and methods for quality detection of my native legume species. _x000D_
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Why did you decide to attend the ISTA Congress in Tallinn last June? _x000D_
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I find it really useful for the kind of work I was performing in that period, and also for the networking opportunities it could have given it._x000D_
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What are your main takeaways from this event? _x000D_
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I got a lot of ideas and new knowledge to apply to my own research, and heard a lot of appreciation for the work I showed during the conference. It was great to see my work is appreciated by an experienced public!_x000D_
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Were you able to make some useful connections during the Congress? _x000D_
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Absolutely, I had the occasion to meet people that are working in my field. And it was great to share experience and suggestions for future experiments!_x000D_
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Would you recommend students and young researchers attend similar events?_x000D_
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Definitively, especially any researchers that investigate seed science; between the conferences that I have attended so far (as a seed researcher), I found the ISTA conference the most useful._x000D_
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If ISTA should change/improve one thing, what would it be?_x000D_
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I found out about ISTA just during my second year of PhD work, and the reason for this is because I am working in a research institute that deals with a broad range of ecological and agricultural investigations; I think that it might be useful to promote ISTA’s work outside circles of seed science researchers because I find a lot of curiosity on seed science in other fields not strictly related to it._x000D_
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What is your vision for the future of seed testing?_x000D_
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We must make protocols and knowledge of seed science more accessible to a broader public._x000D_
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