b'ASSOCIATION NEWS Figure 5. ISTA Handbook on Seed Health Testing, available to purchase on the ISTA website since May 2025A collaboration with the Forest Tree and Shrub Seed Committee (FTSC) was initiated to assess the need for seed health methods specific to tree seeds. Based on a list of the most internationally traded species (20172022), presented at the 2024 ISTA Annual Meeting, a questionnaire was drafted with four key questions to be distributed through SHC and FTSC networks.SHC also worked with the Statistics Committee to update the statistical tool for homogeneity testing, used in selecting seed for proficiency and comparative tests. The Committee thanks Figure 4. Magnification of Botrytis cinerea mycelia with typical conidiophore branched structures the organisers of the 2024 Proficiency Test for Aphenlenchoides besseyi in rice seed (SHM 7-025) for their efforts.the webinar covered sample size determination,Last year, SHC began reviewing the accreditation multi-laboratory studies and the Seedcalcprocess for seed health methods, particularlySpecial thanks go to those who contributed statistical tools, highlighting the importance ofthe recognition of validation studies performedimages and data to the Seed Health Test Image statistics in method validation. outside the SHC. With a decreasing trend inDatabase, launched in July 2024. Over the past laboratories that are ISTA accredited for seedyear, 123 pathogen entries from more than From February to April 2025, SHC participated inhealth, the Committee initiated a discussion on30 different crops have been uploaded. SHC the webinar series Seed Technology Course 2 ofwhether the current accreditation policies shouldcontinues to promote this resource through the American Phytopathological Society (APS),be revised. SHC proactively drafted a positionvarious events and networks. The ISTA Reference titled Developing and Validating Seed Healthdocument outlining suggested improvementsPest List has also been expanded significantly, Assays. The series introduced the fundamentalsand shared it with the ECOM liaison officers forthanks to global contributions and the leadership of seed health testing and SHCs role for ISTA.the Committee. of Nicolas Denanc (GEVES). The list grew from The SHC also took part in the ISTA workshopversion 11 to version 14 in just one year, now on Insect Detection in Seed held at GEVES inFollowing a gap analysis of ISTAs seed healthcovering 41 crop species and 474 reviewed pests.Angers, France in March 2025. As an outcomemethods, the SHC launched an initiative to from this workshop, the SHC, together with theidentify valuable croppest combinations not yetFinally, SHC proudly announces the publication Advanced Technologies Committee, organised aincluded in Chapter 7 of the ISTA Rules. of the long-awaited ISTA Handbook on Seed discussion session on the topic during the ISTAThe analysis revealed that most current rulesHealth Testing (Fig. 5), the result of years of Congress, leading to an agreement to propose tofocus on vegetable seeds. To address thiswork by past and present Committee members. the ISTA Executive Committee (ECOM) that theimbalance, a list was created with a columnThe book became available in May and can Association should develop a policy on insectfor available methods and validation data,be ordered via the ISTA website (go to www.detection in seed and start giving more focus tofacilitating future rule development for non- seedtest.org/en/handbooks/ista-handbook-on-this issue. vegetable crops. seed-health-testing-product-1069.html). 40 SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL www.seedtest.org'