Seed industry personnel will receive cutting-edge information about seed testing, seed quality and production issues, and biotechnology topics at the 24th annual Seed Technology Conference.

“We provide the latest current technology that is coming down the pipe,” said Manjit Misra, director of the Seed Science Center and professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering. “For example, genetically modified organisms and information about seed technologies.”

The conference, presented by the Seed Science Center, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Scheman Building at the Iowa State Center.

Misra said the conference, centered around the theme “GMOs and the Seed Industry,” will provide information in two ways.

“We have speakers that are recognized leaders in their area,” Misra said. “We also have workshops.”

Misra said two workshops go along with this year’s conference. The workshops take place the days before and after the conference. Monday’s workshop focused on genetically modified organism testing, while Wednesday’s will deal with plant design, he said.

Misra said speakers at the conference would focus on timely issues, including global barriers, seed production and quality and genetically modified organisms.

“Specifically, we are talking about global issues,” Misra said. “We are talking about trends and issues that will help the seed industry ship seed overseas.”

Misra said discussion of seed production and quality issues have practical benefits.

For example, Misra said, attendees will discuss the bean pod mottle virus, which causes seed discoloration and has two components: the seed itself and a beetle that causes the disease.

“It may have some effect on seed quality, but more importantly we are seeing how we can control it,” Misra said. “Iowa State is doing quite a bit of research on this.”

Misra said the departments of seed science, plant pathology and entomology are all involved in researching the bean pod mottle virus.

“If there is anything that will affect producers, we bring people together,” Misra said.

Seed production and quality discussions can lead to a better understanding of the technologies by the general public, said Wendy Wintersteen, senior associate dean for the college of Agriculture.

“In the end, we’re all working for the consumer,” she said.

Wintersteen said the StarLink issue will be among the genetically modified organism topics covered at the conference. StarLink is a type of genetically modified corn approved for use in livestock feed. Some people believe a protein in StarLink could cause allergic reactions in humans.

Wintersteen said some people raised concern about “how to separate grain grown for livestock from grain grown for other markets including human consumption.”

Denis McGee, professor of plant pathology, will be presenting information about the National Seed Health System at the conference. That project focuses on finding and developing seed testing methods that can be internationally accepted.

“We provide scientific information as needed to make the system work,” McGee said.

McGee said he is looking forward to participating in the conference as well.

“It gives a lot of up-to-date information on what is happening in the world of seed technology,” he said.

Misra said the conference is also important from a business standpoint.

“The U.S. is the largest producer and consumer of seeds worldwide,” he said. “We want to maintain that competitive edge.”