California Ag Network

Tag: Seed Biotechnology Center

  • Seed Biology & Quality Course, UC Davis, June 19 – 21, 2018

    Delivering improved varieties and crop protection through high quality seed is a vital component of modern agricultural production systems. It is critical that seed producers and marketers have an understanding of the biological factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of seed health, vigor and viability, and how those qualities are measured. This course presents the scientific background and technical protocols for assessing, enhancing and maintaining high seed quality and updates participants on new information in these topics, including seed pathology and enhancement. The program targets quality assurance professionals in the seed industry, new employees, consultants, breeders and seed producers to extend and update their knowledge.

    2 RST credits available to class participants!

    This course is taught by widely respected academic and public sector researchers and industry executives.

    Core Instructors and guest lecturers include:

    Kent J. Bradford — Professor, Department of Plant Sciences and Director, Seed Biotechnology Center, UC Davis

    Phyllis Himmel — Director, Collaboration for Plant Pathogen Strain Identification (CPPSI)
    Samantha Thomas — Global Stewardship and Industry Affairs Lead, Monsanto
    Deborah Meyer — Program Supervisor of the Seed Science, Nematology, and Plant Pathology Laboratories at the California Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostics Center

    Diane Krause — Plant Pathology Researcher, Monsanto
    Matt May — Seed Pathology Scientist, Monsanto
    Mike O’Leary — PhD Researcher, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis
    Pedro Bello — Research Associate, Department of Plant Sciences, Seed Biotechnology Center, UC Davis

    Riad Baalbaki — Senior Seed Botanist, Plant Pest Diagnostics Center, California Department of Food and Agriculture

    Course Topics

    • Seed development and maturation
    • Seed vigor and viability
    • Seed health and phytosanitation
    • Seed testing
    • Seed enhancement
    • Seed longevity and storage
    • Seed biotechnology
    • Seed pathology

    Lab Topics

    • Standardized seed health testing methods
    • Certification of labs for seed health testing
    • Testing treated vs. non-treated seed (fungicide, bactericide, biological, organic & disinfectant treatments)
    • Molecular vs. ‘biological’ seed health assays (indirect vs. direct assays)
    • Location of infection of seeds by plant pathogens
    • Sample size for seed health testing, seed sampling protocols

    For more information and registration about Seed Biology and Quality, please contact Julie Tillman (jtillman@ucdavis.edu)

    or online @ http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Biology_and_Quality/

  • UC Davis Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) Recognized for Education Efforts

    UC Davis SBC Education Director Rale Gjuric

    UC Davis is excited and proud to announce the placement of UC Davis SBC Education Director Rale Gjuric on EUROPEAN SEED’s list of highly influential people in 2017. In a time where seed companies worldwide are having trouble filling their breeding vacancies, Rale has been instrumental in spearheading education efforts that have trained numerous students. Under his leadership, the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy has offered 15 classes worldwide since 2006 that were attended by 281 breeders from over 60 countries, making this organization the most recognized program of its kind.

    Read about Rale in European Seed article: http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/files/283367.pdf or full article at: http://www.european-seed.com/docs/books/volume-5/issue-2/inc/pdf/flipbook.pdf.

    The next class of the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy in Davis starts in September 2018.  The registration is still open for the few remaining spots.  For more information on the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy contact Joy Patterson at jpatterson@ucdavis.edu or visit http://pba.ucdavis.edu.

    The mission of the Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) is to mobilize the research, educational and outreach resources of UC Davis in partnership with the seed and biotechnology industries to facilitate discovery and commercialization of new seed technologies for agricultural and consumer benefit.  As part of its educational program, the UC Davis SBC offers a variety of courses catered to the needs of seed industry professionals.

    UPCOMING COURSES

    Seed Biology and Quality, June 19-21, 2018, Davis, CA

    (http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Biology_and_Quality/)

    Seed Business 101 Field Crops, August 20-24, 2018, St. Charles, IL

    (http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Business_101/Seed_Business_101_-_Field_Crops/)

    Program Management for Plant Breeders, September 18 – 20, 2018, Davis, CA
    (http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Program_Management_for_Plant_Breeders/)

    Seed Business 101 Horticulture, December 3-7, 2018, Davis, CA

    (http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Business_101/Seed_Business_101_-_Horticulture/ 

    Seed Production, February 12 – 14, 2019, Davis, CA USA

    (http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Production/)