ISU Seed Science Center

09/01/2026

EPISODE OUT TOMORROW! Be sure not to miss it 🫛🎙️

08/31/2026

🎓 Scholarship Opportunity for CALS Students! 🌱
The David Lambert “Hunger Fighter” Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications!
💰 $1,000 scholarship�🎓 Open to sophomore and junior Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students, including Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering�🌎 For students with an interest in seed science, global food security, and/or child nutrition
The scholarship honors the legacy of David Lambert, a distinguished fellow of Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center and a passionate advocate for addressing world hunger and advancing global food security.
📅 Application deadline: September 25 at 5 p.m.
Interested? Complete the application and submit it to Cynthia Hicks at mailto:[email protected].
🌾 Your work in agriculture can help shape a more food-secure future. Apply today!

08/26/2026

Dr. Charles Block is back in the spotlight! For the second time this week, he has appeared on television—this time nationally on FOX Weather. At this rate, we may need to give him his own star on the sidewalk outside the Seed Science Center! ⭐

Thank you, Dr. Block, for being such an outstanding representative of the Iowa State University Seed Science Center and for working with High Mowing Organic Seeds and partners in Jamaica to help deliver quality organic seed to farmers still recovering from the devastation of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.
Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Watch the interview:

This is "Planting seeds of recovery after the devastating Hurricane Melissa" by ISU Seed Science Center on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

08/25/2026

After Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica’s agriculture, farmers urgently needed quality seed to rebuild. Discover how Jamaican agricultural leaders, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and the Iowa State University Seed Science Center worked across borders to overcome testing and regulatory barriers, saf...

08/25/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Charles Block, manager of the Seed Science Center Seed Health Lab, on an excellent interview with WHO 13 News!
Dr. Block highlighted how the Seed Science Center’s expertise helped donated vegetable seed meet Jamaica’s phytosanitary requirements and reach farmers rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa. Thank you for representing the Center so well and demonstrating how seed science can protect agriculture, support recovery, and make a difference around the world.

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

A central Iowa university is offering unique assistance with relief efforts in the Caribbean after a hurricane destroyed much of the agriculture on the island nation of Jamaica. Story link ⬇️.

08/19/2026

Can better roots help solve agriculture’s fertilizer problem?

Fertilizer prices are rising, and nitrogen that crops do not absorb can contribute to nutrient runoff, water-quality concerns and greenhouse gas emissions. New flax research may offer a path toward growing more with less.

In the latest episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks talks with Dr. Bourlaye Fofana of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada about the discovery of more than 1,000 genes involved in flax’s response to nitrogen stress. Learn how this research could help breeders develop crops that use fertilizer more efficiently, reduce production costs and lessen agriculture’s environmental footprint.

🎧 Listen to “Getting to the Root of the Fertilizer Problem: How Nitrogen-Efficient Flax Could Help Farmers Grow More with Less.” Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Seed Today

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1219669161/91dd6770cd

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/germination/id1829013958
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3SS0ntK2Wb7pcfOwxI9GcA
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AAE3HWHxg1mVwAj6g1Gru
Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2e502111-0ab0-4981-a20d-1bdb2f084a01/germination
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/287601160
Podbean: https://germination.podbean.com/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/germinationpodcast

GermiNation is a podcast from the Iowa State University Seed Science Center that explores the people, science, and stories behind the global seed industry. Through conversations with researchers, industry leaders, students, and policymakers, the podcast explores topics such as seed quality, seed hea...

08/19/2026

Can crops produce strong yields with less fertilizer? As fertilizer prices rise and concerns grow about nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions, researchers are looking to plant genetics for solutions. In this episode of GermiNation, host Cindy Hicks talks with Dr. Bourlaye Fofana, a research s...

08/13/2026

🌱 Could farmers one day grow corn and other crops with little or no nitrogen fertilizer?

One researcher believes it may be possible. He has identified 1,000 genes in flax that could help this nitrogen-hungry crop develop deeper roots and access more of the nitrogen already in the soil... something he believes is transferable to other crops!

What could this discovery mean for farmers, fertilizer use and the future of crop production? Find out on the next episode of GermiNation, dropping Wednesday, August 19, at noon! 🎙️

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/germination/id1829013958
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3SS0ntK2Wb7pcfOwxI9GcA
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AAE3HWHxg1mVwAj6g1Gru
Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2e502111-0ab0-4981-a20d-1bdb2f084a01/germination
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/287601160
Podbean: https://germination.podbean.com/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/germinationpodcast

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences American Seed Trade Association Seed World US Seed Today

08/11/2026

From Ames to Jamaica, seed science is helping communities recover and rebuild.

After Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica’s agriculture, getting donated vegetable seeds into the hands of organic farmers required more than generosity. The seeds also needed to meet critical phytosanitary requirements designed to protect the island from imported diseases and pests.

The Iowa State University Seed Science Center stepped in to provide free seed health testing, helping remove a significant financial barrier while supporting Jamaica’s food security and agricultural recovery.

This collaboration shows what is possible when seed organizations, scientists and agricultural partners work together to turn quality seed into hope for the future.

Read the full story in the comments. American Seed Trade Association Seed World US Seed Today Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences High Mowing Organic Seeds

08/10/2026

🌱 Back to the Basics of Seed Quality! 🔬

Today marks the first day of our Beginner Seed Quality Testing Workshop at the Iowa State University Seed Science Center!

Participants are getting hands-on experience with the fundamentals of seed quality testing under the guidance of Jessica Blake, Manager of the Seed Science Center Quality Testing Laboratories and one of the seed industry’s highly respected Registered Seed Technologists (RST).

Over the next three days, participants will build practical skills, strengthen their understanding of seed testing, and learn techniques they can take back to their own laboratories and organizations.

Quality seed starts with quality testing, and quality testing starts with knowledgeable people. We’re proud to help develop the next generation of seed testing professionals! 🌾🔬

Seed Today Seed World US American Seed Trade Association Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences