The course will provide training in all aspects related to seed production and quality control.

Ensuring seed quality and the processes involved in their production and quality control is of vital importance for the region, as it allows for an in-depth understanding of different characteristics, elements, processes, etc., thereby achieving better results in their collection and production.

The course will provide training on all aspects related to seed production and quality control by national authorities, in the application of seed policy and/or regulatory frameworks, covering all stages and processes from variety registration, seed multiplication in each category, types of inspections and adequate sampling, laboratory analysis and labeling, as well as supervision or fiscalization in trade.

Course overview

Title: Seed Quality Assurance

Code: ACSEN202501

Type of course: Self-paced

Total duration: 22 chronological hours

Start date: 2025

Target audience:

• Accredited officials or servants of the Ministries of Agriculture or their equivalents.
• Accredited officials or servants of national seed authorities.
• Accredited university professors in seed science and technology.

General objective:

To apply the evaluation and variety registration process, as well as seed quality control, including field inspections and laboratory analysis, in order to promote the sustainable production of high-quality seeds and the effective application of regulations.

Specific objectives:

• To understand a general and contextualized framework on seed policy and regulatory framework, providing key concepts or definitions, such as seed systems, national policies, regulations, and regulatory disciplines.
• To identify the stages of the complete variety registration process and other related records, including background, trials, approval procedures, documentary requirements, approval criteria, as well as post-registration issues such as the role of the breeder and/or maintainer, in order to integrate them into seed quality assurance processes.
• To apply seed quality control processes, starting from their origin and evolution, the classifications used, commonly used control systems, field inspection procedures, internal control, as well as current international seed schemes.
• To differentiate the seed supervision, control, or fiscalization processes applied in seed commercialization, in order to verify that the circulating seed complies with current regulatory frameworks.

Contents:

• Module 1: Introduction to Seed Policy and Regulatory Framework
• Module 2: Seed Records
• Module 3: Seed Quality Control and Certification
• Module 4: Monitoring Seed Quality by the Seed Authority