University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Based on papers developed from the second International Seed Testing Association (ISTA)-Plant Disease Committee symposium held in Cambridge, August 1996.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine derived contents note: Section I -- 1. New and priority seedborne diseases in Western Europe -- 2. Recent problems with loose smut in oats and common bunt in wheat in the Nordic countries -- 3. Seed health testing in Eastern and Central European countries -- the present and prospects -- 4. The recurrence of Burkolderia solanacearum in southern European countries -- 5. Seedborne diseases of economic importance in Israel and the use of alternatives to mercuric fungicides -- 6. New and important seedborne diseases in Southern Africa -- 7. Seedborne disease in North America: diversity and change -- 8. New and priority seedborne diseases in South America -- 9. Seedborne diseases in Australia and New Zealand -- 10. Potentially important seedborne pathogens of economic crops in North-east Asia -- Section II -- 11. ISTA-PDC's terms of reference in the past and for the future -- 12. The international seed health initiative -- 13. Cereal seed health strategies in the UK -- 14. Review on policy developments with regard to seed health testing and seed treatment in the Nordic countries with special reference to Denmark -- 15. Developments in seed health testing policy -- a US perspective -- 16. Development of seed health testing policy in South America -- 17. Developments in rice seed health testing policy -- Section III -- 18. Development of a PCR-based test to detect and identify Pyrenophora spp. -- 19. Characterization of the seedborne fungal pathogen Phomopsis phaseoli f. sp. meridionalis: the agent of soybean stem canker -- 20. Detection of Tilletia indica in wheat and T. barclayana in rice samples and its implication for seed certification -- 21. BIO-PRC: a highly sensitive technique for detecting seedborne fungi and bacteria -- 22. Immunoflorescence colony-staining as a tool for sample indexing and for the determination of field thresholds for pathogenic seedborne bacteria -- 23. Comparison of serological and molecular methods for detection of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in rice seed -- 24. Immunocapture reverse transcriptase PCR for the detection of lettuce mosaic virus -- 25. Comparison of immunocapture PCR and ELISA in quality control of pea seed for pea seedborne mosaic potyvirus -- Section IV -- 26. ISTA/PDC bacteriology working group: comparative tests working sheets -- 27. Comparative test for the detection of Xanthomonas campestris pv. camprestris in crucifer seeds -- 28. Comparative tests with the osmotic blotter method for detection of Drechslear spp. in barley seeds -- Section V -- 29. ISTA Accreditation in seed health testing laboratories -- 30. NAL: a quality assurance system for seed health testing laboratories -- 31. Microbiological reference materials for quality control in seed health testing -- 32. Quality control of seeds for viruses: present status and future prospects -- Index.