• One of the largest public seed testing labs in the U.S.

Welcome to the ISU Seed Science Center

More than 100 Years of Excellence in Seed Testing, Research, and Outreach

The Seed Science Center at Iowa State University is a center of excellence nationally and internationally in seed research, education, technology transfer, and international seed programs. It provides a focus for teaching, research, and extension programs on seed in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and it is a global leader in introducing science into policy to benefit world seed trade.

The Seed Science Center is home to the largest public seed testing laboratory in the world. For more than 100 years, the lab has provided accurate and professional seed-testing services for members of the seed industry.

Seed Science Center faculty members are committed to providing quality research and education to produce the next generation of leaders in the seed industry. Faculty specializing in seed physiology, seed pathology, risk management, and seed conditioning conduct cutting-edge research projects in sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, crop utilization, computer technologies, microbiology, toxicology, and molecular biology.   

Working to provide access to quality seed, facilitating seed trade, and promoting the growth and development of the seed industry are important missions of the Center's Global Programs. In the past 20 years, center scientists have designed and conducted programs in more than 80 countries around the world to achieve these goals.
                         
For more information about the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University, contact seedsci@iastate.edu.

 

News

February 12, 2025
The Seed Science Center Scholarship Program at Iowa State University continues to recognize and support outstanding students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, interpersonal skills, and a strong interest in seed science and the seed industry. Open to students across all majors within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, these scholarships provide financial support and...
January 31, 2025
The Iowa State University Seed Science Center (SSC) is excited to announce a new advanced seed pathology course, Developing & Validating Seed Health Assays, offered online by the American Phytopathological Society (APS). Organized by the SSC’s Dr. Gary Munkvold and Dr. Lindsey du Toit of Washington State University, two leading experts in seed pathology, this course is designed for...
January 21, 2025
For more than 100 years, the Seed Lab and the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University have provided training for seed industry professionals by hosting short courses and workshops. Each April through August we facilitate workshops covering topics ranging from seed testing and cleaning, to gravity separation, color sorting, and seed treatment. Seed Quality Workshops...

Now Available for Viewing

Join Iowa State University Seed Science Center on a journey around the world to discover the grand collaboration between nature and humanity to feed, clothe, and beautify the world! This film series was developed to engage and inspire youth, the public, and the policy makers on the beauty and value of seeds to society.