ISTA Laboratory Jena

The seed testing station in Jena was founded by Conrad Oehmichen in 1875. In the beginning, only about 500 seed samples were tested every year. These samples were submitted by farmers on a voluntary basis. Seed testing was dominated by clover samples to be tested for dodder (Cuscuta epithymum spp. trifolii), a very dangerous parasitic weed species in Central Europe.

But after the introduction of official seed certification in 1934, the number of tested samples increased considerably. Certified seed had to meet official standards with regard to purity, other seeds count and germination. Due to these mandatory tests, almost 19,000 samples were tested every year in the Jena laboratory in the 1950's.

Under the direction of Edler, Klapp, Brouwer, Stählin, Eggebrecht and Lindner, the station developed very well. The foundations for the well-known German handbook "Handbuch der Samenkunde", published by Brouwerand Stählin in 1955, were laid in Jena.

Besides his activities in official seed testing, Lindner devoted himself to seed research. He developed fluorescence methods to distinguish between Sinapsis arvensis and dark Brassica species or between Festuca rubra and Festuca ovina. Today, these methods form part of the International Rules for Seed Testing.

In the 1960's, the development of seed cleaning methods with small-scale machines was also strongly influenced by the scientists in Jena.

More Information

Thüringer Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (only available in German)