Production
of high-quality seed is the cornerstone of American agriculture. The specialized
nature of the seed industry and the unique biology of seeds as life in
suspended animation have given rise to seed biology as an important discipline.
Seeds are vital as propagating units for the tree, landscape, flower,
turf, vegetable, fruit, and agronomic crop industries. American seed companies
are one of the significant agricultural industries benefiting from advances
in seed research and increased student training. To serve these needs,
The Ohio State University (OSU) Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
has established an interdisciplinary Seed Biology Program because:
Research in seed biology is the foundation
of plant science study. Important basic and applied research areas are
1) Seed production, 2) Seed quality, 3) Seed pathology, 4) Seed physiology/biochemistry,
5) Seed genetics/molecular biology, and 6) Weed seed ecology. These research
areas serve as the focus of the OSU Seed Biology Program.
Seed biology is an interdisciplinary
program which complements most aspects of plant science study. At OSU,
faculty from the Departments of Horticulture and Crop Science, Plant Pathology,
Plant Biology, and the School of Natural Resources study seeds and their
performance. The integration of these basic and applied disciplines results
in breadth in student training and comprehensive research programs.
Seed biology is an important component
of international programs in agriculture. A first step in establishing
a successful agricultural program in developing countries is to provide
growers high-quality seed of superior varieties in sufficient quantity
and at reasonable cost. Faculty in the OSU Seed Biology Program have collaborated
with or participated in seed development projects in such countries as
China, India, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Sudan, Argentina, Brazil, South
Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Uganda, and Poland. The OSU Seed Biology Program
affords a unique opportunity for national and international outreach,
workshops, and training programs.