ASTA Launches Pest Database for Seeds (PeDS)

Through funding from USDA’s Market Access Program, ASTA developed a Pest Database for Seeds (PeDS), which is now live and functional for searching for pest or host and scientific or common names.

This database currently contains technical/scientific information on over 400 pests (primarily seed and plant pathogens) that have impacted the international movement of seed. Whenever a pest of concern is identified and may disrupt international seed movement, ASTA conducts a thorough literature search to collect technical information on its relationship to the seed.

This information includes:

• Whether seed can be a pathway for its introduction and establishment into new environments
• Geographical distribution
• Epidemiology
• Availability of seed health testing methodologies and seed treatments

ASTA uses this information to work with USDA and other partners to encourage countries to remove technically-unjustified phytosanitary regulatory requirements.

The database is designed to be searched primarily by pest species (scientific name or common name) or host species (scientific name or common name). Searching for other parameters, such as country listing a pest, seed pathway or distribution in the US or World is also possible. A powerful feature of this database is that searches are linked directly to the literature sources for that information.

ASTA will host a virtual training later this summer. Be on the lookout for an invitation soon.