b'ASSOCIATION NEWS Statistics CommitteeKirk Remund (Chair) and Jean-Louis Laffont (Vice-Chair)www.seedtest.org/en/technical-committees/statistics-committee.htmlJEAN-LOUIS LAFFONT AND KIRKHighlights of the YearGermination Test: Proposal to add REMUND HAVE LED THE ISTA(January 2024 to present) new tolerance tables in ISTA Rules STATISTICS COMMITTEE FOR TWOIn the past year, the Committee provided fourChapter 5DECADES, developing a sound statisticaltesting plan reviews, seven method validationThe Statistics Committee has worked in close theoretical basis to seed testing in areasstudy reviews and three method validationcollaboration with the Germination Committee including seed testing rules, method validation,statistical analyses. Throughout the year, manyto propose additional tolerance tables for laboratory proficiency testing and training. Nickquestions came to the Statistics Committee fromTable 5B in Chapter 5 of the ISTA Rules. These Syring has joined the Committee leadershipcountries including Canada, Denmark, France,additional tables provide flexibility beyond as a second Vice-Chair and this, coupled withGermany, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland,the standard four replicates of 100 seeds in a the addition of new members, has added muchUK and USA. Many of these questions requiredgermination test, to four replicates of 50 seeds, strength and depth to the Committee. Currentsignificant Committee resources and time toeight replicates of 50 seeds, four replicates of and future activities include review and revisionanswer. 25 seeds, eight replicates of 25 seeds and 16 of the theoretical basis of ISTAs methodreplicates of 25 seeds. The new tolerance tables validation and sampling rules, in collaborationJean-Louis and Kirk participated in a jointwill likely be considered for an ISTA Rules change with the Bulking and Sampling CommitteeInternational Seed Federation (ISF) and ISTAin 2026.and other Technical Committees (TCOM) ofwebinar on Seed Health Statistics in the autumn ISTA. The Statistics Committee has 11 membersof 2024. They also delivered a special statisticsTetrazolium Test: Proposal to add new from academia and industry, including sixworkshop for the Committees Young@ISTAtolerance tables in ISTA Rulesdeveloping Young@ISTA members, ensuring themembers, held in Saint Louis, Missouri, USAChapter 6continuation of the legacy of sound mathematicsin the spring of 2025. Read more details on theMany species have large seeds, making it difficult and statistics in seed testing into the future. success of this workshop in this issue of Seedto conduct a tetrazolium test on 400 seeds. Testing International (p.79). Additionally, it is sometimes challenging to The Statistics Committee provides a service toobtain 400 seeds for certain species. Therefore, it the TCOMs and the ISTA Executive CommitteeSignificant work products that were deliveredis necessary to be able to perform the tetrazolium (ECOM) in areas including testing plan andto ISTA in the past year include an ISTAtest on fewer seeds, such as four replicates of 50 method validation report reviews, changeRules change proposal on tetrazolium testseeds, two replicates of 100 seeds, four replicates proposals for the International Rules for Seedtolerances; a proposal of additional germinationof 25 seeds or two replicates of 50 seeds. These Testing (ISTA Rules), statistical analysis andtolerances; contributions to the Computernew testing schemes require new tolerance simulation, Seed Science and Technology reviews,Vision guidance document; and updates to thetables in addition to Tables 6B, 6C and 6D. The theoretical contributions, development of seedvegetable seed industry collaboration on Orangenew tolerance tables were developed by the testing tools, workshops, industry collaborations,ISTA Certificate sub-lotting guidance. TheStatistics Committee in close collaboration with member questions and development of the nextGermination and Tetrazolium Committee workthe Tetrazolium Committee, for an ISTA Rules generation (Young@ISTA). products are detailed here. change proposal considered at the 2025 ISTA Ordinary General Meeting.SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL OCTOBER 2025 41'