b'ASSOCIATION NEWS significant deviation in the results reported by participants.Two major topics were under discussion with the former Chair of the Purity Committee, Ruojing Wang:Distinction of Chenopodium berlandieri versus Chenopodium album in PT24-1 as Chenopodium sp. (Fig. 2)Distinction of Melilotus officinalis versus Melilotus albus in PT23-3 as Melilotus sp. (Fig. 3)Longitudinal Plane ComparisonMelilotus albusMelilotus officinalis (white-blossom sweet clover) (yellow-blossom sweet clover)Figure 2. Chenopodium berlandieri (left) and Chenopodium album (right) from ISTA Proficiency Test round PT24-1M.albus(compared to M. officinalis):Shorter distance between the hilum and theTable 1. ISTA Proficiency Test (PT) rounds for2024key datalens at the top of the seed.It is narrower, less rounded on the sides of the seed than M. officinalis. M.yi us has an obvi t on Si rro e ComparisonLa alb ng Fla ous radicle fu d w.Round Species Test roundTest leader SampleNumber of Melilotus albus Melilotus officinalis scope number participantsrt PT24-1 Triticum aestivumP, OSD, G, M,Sarah Dammen 3 x 250 213subsp. aestivum TZ, V (RE test), TSW, reporting on OICMIX for training Purity200CommitteeM. albus (compared to M. officinalis): More angular with a more pointed bottom. PT24-2 Arachis hypogaea G Claudia Falch 3 x 235 175More prominent radicle furrow.The radicle tip (rt) over-hangs the hilum slightly. A bigger bite out of the oval.(note this curve) PT24-2 Matthiola longipetala G Irena Gera 3 x 175 132Figure 3. Comparison of Melilotus officinalis andPT 24-3 Coriandrum sativum G Sharon3 x 220 182Melilotus albus for use as Melilotus sp. in ISTADavidsonProficiency Test round PT23-3 [images courtesy of Ruojing Wang, Canadian Food InspectionPT 24-3 Lactuca sativa P, OSD, G Mihaela3 x 210 186Agency] GheorgheTotal 33 heterogeneity tests Five PT3470 samples 888 14 180 seeds added for OSD leaders participantsWith the Tetrazolium Committee Chair, SergioISTA Secretariat did 39 statistical Pasquini, we discussed the availability of seedsanalyses and issued 2300 individual and species in order to include a PT round withreportsa viability tetrazolium test for tree or shrubs in the PT Programme Plan. We also discussed thePpurity; OSDother seed determination; Ggermination; Mmoisture determination; TZtetrazolium; Vpotential new rules in the ISTA Rules for tests ofvigour (radicle emergence test, RE); TSWthousand-seed weight test; OICISTA Orange International Seed Lot fewer than 400 seeds. Certificate; MIXmixture of other seeds for seed identificationDiscussion with the Nomenclature CommitteeTable 2. Notable Results in 2024Chair, Melanie Schori, centred around the new ISTA List of Stabilised Plant Names, 8th Edition, inIdentification First lot Third lotterms of the application date and synonyms used. Avena fatua 180 (90%) Key Results in 2024 Avena sativa185 (93%)Key data for the year 2024 illustrates the intensiveAvena spp. 9 3work done by the PTC (Table 1). Different species of Avena (7) (5)The other seed determinations of Avena fatuaThree laboratories reportedAll five laboratories Avena sativa reported Avena nuda(spiked in lot 1) and A. sativa (spiked in lot 3) in the round PT24-1 were particularly interestingFour laboratories reported (Table 2). Avena sterilisSpecies not reported 4 7Since the introduction of thousand-seed weight (TSW) in the PT Programme Plan, highNumber of laboratories that submitted other200seed determination reportspercentages of A+B ratings for TSW have been observed, independent of the method applied byTotal participants in this Proficiency Test round 20260 SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL www.seedtest.org'