The ISU Seed Lab offers a wide range of testing services.
At the Seed Laboratory at Iowa State University, we are committed to exceeding your expectations by offering the highest-quality seed testing services in the industry. We are also committed to a strategy of continual improvement of our laboratory’s operation.
Remember!
Include your ACCOUNT NUMBER on all correspondence, sample bags, and submission forms
FAQ’s
An account will be created once we have received your first sample, and you will be assigned an account number. If you have conducted business with the Seed Lab in the past, your account number will appear on your test report or summary.
In order to open an account we must have 5 key information indicated on the submission form:
- Company/Customer name.
- Contact name
- Address
- Phone number
Contact Customer Care at 515-294-6826 or seedlab@iastate.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
The Iowa State University Seed Laboratory conducts many types of tests on more than 300 species of seed. A partial list of tests appears on the Testing Methods page. If you are sending cereals/grasses to test, please make sure to indicate the year when crop was harvested. Contact Customer Care at 515-294-6826 for more information about the tests we offer.
Test duration depends upon the crop being tested and the type of test being performed, and the volume of samples being sent into the lab. If you require more information than is available on this page, contact Customer Care at 515-294-6826.
“ISO/IEC 17025 enables laboratories to demonstrate that they operate competently and generate valid results, thereby promoting confidence in their work both nationally and around the world.
It also helps facilitate cooperation between laboratories and other bodies by generating wider acceptance of results between countries. Test reports and certificates can be accepted from one country to another without the need for further testing, which, in turn, improves international trade.”
Our certification by an independent auditor means that the Iowa State University Seed Testing Laboratory has adopted—and follows—the absolute best possible procedures to benefit our customers.
We are on schedule to achieve this certification in early 2026.
—AOSA — (The Association of Official Seed Analysts) Rules for Testing Seeds for domestic and international seed movement.
—ISTA (The International Seed Testing Association) for international movement of seed.
—Canadian M &P — Seed to be shipped into Canada.
—NSHS — (The National Seed Health System) – phytosanitary testing
—Biotech Trait Providers requirements — trait testing
Our ISO 17025 certification is our guarantee to our customers that rigorous standards are consistently applied to every test we perform.
Labeling requirements require the following tests:
—Purity
—Standard (Warm) Germination
—Noxious Weed Exam