Iowa State University is offering another round of seed conditioning workshops this upcoming summer. The classes are small group sessions that feature a mix of classroom and “hands-on” equipment operation in their pilot plant at the ISU Seed Science Center.
Each workshop is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is from 8 to 8:30 a.m. on the first day of each workshop. Lunch is provided with each full-day program for the Seed Conditioning workshops and the quality workshop. All workshops and short courses will be held in the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University unless otherwise notified.
The classes include:
Commercial Popcorn Conditioning: Designed for operations handling larger volumes of food grade product, including an extended discussion of basic psychometrics, equilibrium moisture content, and low-temperature drying fundamentals. May 22-24.
Color Sorting: Brand-specific workshops provide advanced color sorter training for equipment operators and other interested personnel. Hands-on training will be provided using corn and soybean seed. Primary focus will be on Satake ScanMaster II, Satake Evolution and Buhler Sortex Z-Series machines, with additional coverage of advanced optical sorting and sample analysis technology when appropriate. Company representatives will be available to assist with class presentations, equipment operation, and technical support. Satake ScanMaster II: June 4-5, Satake Evolution: June 6-7 and Buhler Sortex: June 12-13.
Specialty Seed Conditioning: General workshop covering typical operations required for conditioning small lots of unusual or high-value products such as vegetable, flower, tree, or grass seeds. June 19-20.
Seed Corn Conditioning: General “crop specific” workshop covering typical operations required for conditioning seed corn for lot sizes typical of larger foundation and commercial seed production. Additional coverage for small lot or research applications may be included based on attendee demographics. June 25-28 and August 6-9.
Soybean and Small Grain Seed Conditioning: General “crop specific” workshop covering typical operations required for conditioning soybean seed with additional information related to edible beans, small grains, sunflowers, and select agronomic crops. July 9-12 and July 23-26.
Seed Treatment Workshop: Intended for seed industry personnel requiring updated information and more detailed coverage of current seed treatment products, typical seed pests and pathogens, chemical stewardship, application equipment, and calibration procedures. The seed treatment workshop will be held in a larger ISU facility to accommodate indoor equipment displays and multiple concurrent sessions. The program will include presentations by University personnel and company representatives on a variety of current seed treatment topics. July 18-19.
Gravity Separation: Detailed review of the operation, adjustment, and effectiveness of the destoner and gravity table for removing foreign material and upgrading seed quality. The primary focus will be on typical seed corn and soybean separation issues with additional discussion regarding other seed and food grade applications. July 31 and August 2.
