36 GERMINATION.CA JANUARY 2018 SEEDS MAY BE tiny, but that doesn’t make them any less powerful. These miniature powerhouses are what keep life as we know it going, and they’re poised to literally fuel a world expected to reach nine billion by 2050. The power contained within them was on full display at the 12th triennial conference of the International Society for Seed Science (ISSS) held in Monterey, California, in September. The theme this year was Seeds as Systems, and the nearly 200 people present discovered how much has been accomplished, but also how much is left to be learned, about how these tiny factories contribute to human life on this planet. “Scientists need to get together once in awhile and have their ideas challenged and learn from others,” says Kent Bradford, director of the Seed Biotechnology Center at the University of California, Davis. He helped host the meeting this year. The International Society for Seed Science showcased groundbreaking research at its 12th triennial conference. Marc Zienkiewicz INSIDEAGLOBALSEEDCOMMUNITY “This meeting is quite broad — we cover everything from seed ecol- ogy to molecular biology. It gives us seed scientists a chance to ask people from the industry what their problems are, what they’re working on. Scientists need to cross-fertilize their ideas and learn from one another. It’s a small community, but a tight one.” The ISSS has just over 200 mem- bers from around the world, all working to advance the field of seed science. Quality is Critical Holding the conference in Monterey this year, not far from the Salinas Valley, was significant. The vast major- ity of salad greens eaten in the United States and Canada are grown in the valley, known as “America's Salad Bowl”. Dominant crops are straw- berries, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, wine grapes, artichokes and celery. Muhammad Bari, entomologist for the Artichoke Research Association in Salinas, gives ISSS conference attendees a look at one of the many artichoke fields in the Salinas Valley.