SCHEDULE 4REQUIREMENTS FOR BASIC SEED, CERTIFIED SEED, CERTIFIED SEED OF THE FIRST AND SECOND GENERATIONS AND COMMERCIAL SEED
PART I
CONDITIONS RELATING TO CROPS FROM WHICH SEEDS OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL SEED ARE OBTAINED
1
So far as the Minister can ascertain them, by the use of methods which shall include official examination of the crop and which may, at such stages in the production of a variety as the Minister may require, include examination of a plot sown with a sample from the seed lot sown in the field and the consideration of any other relevant information, the requirements for the crop set out below shall be met.
Varietal identity and varietal purity2
The characteristics for the determination of varietal identity and varietal purity shall be those recognised as those of the variety for the purposes of the National List or the Common Catalogue.
Crop inspections3
The crop shall be officially examined in such manner and at such times (when the cultural condition of the field and the stage of development and condition of the crop are such as to permit suitable checks of varietal identity, varietal purity and species purity to be made) as the Minister may reasonably require.
Previous cropping4
The crop may be grown only on land which has not previously been cropped in a manner which might adversely affect the nature or quality of the seeds to be produced and which complies with the Minister’s requirements in that respect.
Limitation of the number of harvest years5
A crop to produce Pre-basic Seed, Basic Seed or Certified Seed of Italian ryegrass, and varieties of other kinds which are conducive to the establishment from shed seed of a high proportion of plants which themselves produce seeds, shall not be used to produce a crop in the second harvest year unless:—
a
Pre-basic Seed was produced in the first harvest year in which case Basic Seed may be produced, or
b
Basic Seed was produced in the first harvest year and the seed sown to produce the crop were Pre-basic Seed in which case Certified Seed may be produced.
Isolation distances
6
There shall be a physical barrier or at least 2 metres of fallow between the seed crops and any crop likely to cause contamination in the seed.
7
Field pea crops grown for the production of Pre-basic Seed, Basic Seed, Certified Seed of the First Generation or Certified Seed of the Second Generation shall be isolated by 50 metres, throughout their whole growing period, from all other pea crops not being grown for such production.
8
Throughout the period of flowering of the crop there shall be the following minimum distances from sources of undesirable pollen capable of fertilizing the crop:—
| |
Basic seed | 400 metres |
Certified Seed | 200 metres |
Crop Area | ||
|---|---|---|
up to 2 hectares | over 2 hectares | |
| ||
Basic Seed and Certified Seed 1st generation | 200m | 100m |
Certified Seed 2nd generation | 100m | 50m |
| ||
Basic Seed | 200m | 100m |
Certified Seed | 100m | 50m |
With the approval of the Minister these standards may be modified if there is adequate protection against undesirable pollen.
Standards for varietal purity9
The crop shall have sufficient varietal identity and varietal purity. In particular the average level of the following impurities, by area or by number, as appropriate, shall not exceed—
IN CROPS TO PRODUCE | ||
|---|---|---|
Basic Seed | Certified Seed, Certified Seed of the First and Second Generations | |
| 1 plant in 50 sq m | 1 plant in 10 sq m |
| 1 plant in 20 sq m | 4 plants in 10 sq m |
| 1 plant in 20 sq m | 6 plants in 10 sq m |
| 0.3% | 1% |
| 0.3% | 1% |
| 1 plant in 30 sq m | 1 plant in 10 sq m |
| 1% of seed heads in crop | No standard |
| 1 plant in 50 sq m | 1 plant in 10 sq m |
| 1 plant in 50 sq m | 1 plant in 10 sq m |
PART II
CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE SEEDS
1
Basic Seed, Certified Seed and Certified Seed of the First and Second Generations shall possess the varietal identity and varietal purity specified in Part I; for apomictic uni-clonal varieties of smooth-stalked meadowgrass the minmum varietal purity shall be 99.7% for Basic Seed and 98% for Certified Seed.
2
For lucerne and red clover, Basic Seed and seeds entered for the Higher Voluntary Standard shall be effectively fumigated if stem eelworm (Ditylenchus dipsaci) is reported on official examination of the crop.
3
The seeds shall be of a satisfactory state of health in so far as seed-borne diseases and organisms affecting the seeds are concerned.
4
For each seed lot of Pre-basic Seed or Basic Seed of field beans, a minimum of 1,000 seeds and, for each seed lot of Certified Seed of the First Generation of field beans, a minimum of 500 seeds shall be officially examined for Ascochyta fabae and the level of infection shall not exceed 1 seed in 1,000 for Pre-basic Seed, 2 seeds in 1,000 for Basic Seed and 2 seeds in 500 for Certified Seed of the First Generation.
5
For each seed lot of Breeder’s Seed, Pre-basic Seed, Basic Seed and Certified Seed of the First Generation of field peas 1 kg shall be officially examined from a submitted sample of 2 kg thereof for the presence of Pseudomonas syringae p.v. pisi infection and the level of infection therefrom found to be nil.
6
The seeds shall comply with the following standards:—
Kind | Minimum germination (% by number of pure seeds or pure pellets)a | Maximum hard seed content (% by number of pure seeds or pure pellets) | Minimum analytical purity (% by weight) | Maximum total content of seeds of other plant species (% by weight) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All categories | All categories | All categories | Basic seed | Certified Seed, Certified Seed of the Firstand Second Generations | Commercial Seed | |
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) |
Brown top | 75 | 90 | 0.3 | 2.0 | ||
Red top | 80 | 90 | 0.3 | 2.0 | ||
Other Agrostis spp | 75 | 90 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 3.0d | |
Tall oatgrass | 80 | 90 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 4.0d | |
Rescue grass | 75 | 97 | 0.4 | 1.5 | ||
Alaska brome-grass | 75 | 97 | 0.4 | 1.5 | ||
Sheep’s fescue | 75 | 85 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 3.0d | |
Poa spp. other than Poa pratensis | 75 | 85 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 3.0e | |
Birdsfoot trefoil | 75b | 40 | 95 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
Narrow-leaved lupin (Blue lupin) | 75b | 20 | 98c | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
Other lupins | 80b | 20 | 98c | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5e |
Trefoil | 80b | 20 | 97 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
Alsike clover | 80b | 20 | 97 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
Vetches | 85b | 20 | 98c | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.0e |
Swede | 80 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.0 | ||
Fodder kale | 75 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.0 | ||
Fodder radish | 80 | 97 | 0.3 | 1.0 | ||
Field pea | 80 | 98 | 0.3 | 0.5 | ||
Field bean | 85b | 5 | 98 | 0.3 | 0.5 | |
a All fresh and healthy seeds which do not germinate after pre-treatment shall be considered as seeds which have germinated. | ||||||
b Up to the maximum content indicated in column (3), hard seeds present shall be considered as seeds capable of germination. | ||||||
c For Commercial Seeds 97%. | ||||||
d No Commercial Seed except under licence. | ||||||
e The Standard for Commercial Seed applies to the kinds of seed listed in the definition of commercial seed:—Regulation 3(3). Footnote 4 applies to the remaining kinds. | ||||||
Kind | Minimum germination (% by number of pure seeds or pure pellets)a | Maximum hard seed content (% by number of pure seeds or pure pellets) | Minimum analytical purity (% by weight) | Maximum total content of seeds of other plant species (% by weight) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic Seed and Certified Seed | Basic Seed and Certified Seed | Basic Seed and Certified Seed (minimum standard) | Certified Seed (Higher Voluntary Standard) | Basic seed | Certified Seed (minimum standard) | Certified Seed (Higher Voluntary Standard) | |
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) |
Perennial ryegrass | 80 | 96 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Italian ryegrass | 75 | 96 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Hybrid ryegrass | 75 | 96 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Cocksfoot | 80 | 90 | 90 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Timothy | 80 | 96 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Meadow fescue | 80 | 95 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Smooth-stalked meadowgrass | 75 | 85 | 90 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 1.5 | |
Red fescue | 75 | 90 | 95 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Festulolium | 75 | 96 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Tall fescue | 80 | 95 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Red clover | 80b | 20 | 97 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
White clover | 80b | 40 | 97 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Sainfoin | 20c | 95c | 98 | 0.3 | 2.5c | 1.5 | |
Lucerne | 80b | 40 | 97 | 98 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
a All fresh and healthy seeds which do not germinate after pre-treatment shall be considered as seeds which have germinated. | |||||||
b Up to the maximum content indicated in column (3), hard seeds present shall be considered as seeds capable of germination. | |||||||
c Including Commercial Seed. | |||||||
7
The seeds shall also comply with the following standards where appropriate. Where number standards are indicated a sample of the size indicated in column 2 should be examined.
Kind | Weight of sample for determination of foreign seeds by number grams | Maximum permitted content of seed impurities (by number or as a percentage by weight) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Avena fatua A. ludovicianaandA. Sterilis(Wild Oat) or Cuscuta spp. (Dodder) | ||||||||||||||||||
Rumexspp. (Docks and Sorrels) excluding R. acetosella(Sheep’s sorrel) and R. maritimus (Golden dock) | ||||||||||||||||||
Allopecurus myosuroides(Blackgrass) | ||||||||||||||||||
Agropyron repens(couch) | ||||||||||||||||||
Melilotus(Sweetclovers) | ||||||||||||||||||
Maximum content of any one other plant species | Other Requirements | |||||||||||||||||
Basic Seed | Certified Seed | Basic Seed | Certified Seed | Basic Seed | Certified Seed | Basic Seed | Certified Seed | Basic Seed | Certified Seed | Basic Seed | Certified Seed | |||||||
Minimum Standard and Higher Voluntary Standard | Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | Minimum Standard and Higher Voluntary Standard | Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | |||||||||
No. | No. | No. | No. | No. | No. | % | No. | No. | % | No. | No. | % | No. | % | % | |||
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | (11) | (12) | (13) | (14) | (15) | (16) | (17) | (18) | (19) |
Perennial ryegrass | 60 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | ||
Italian ryegrass | 60 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | ||
Hybrid ryegrass | 60 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | ||
Cocksfoot | 30 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | 0.5 | |
Timothy | 10 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0.3 | 10 | 1 | 0.3 | 10 | — | — | 20 | 1.0 | 0.5e | |
Meadow fescue | 50 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | ||
Smooth-stalked Meadowgrass | 5 | 0 | 0a | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0.3 | 3 | 1 | 0.3 | 3 | — | — | 20 | 1.0l | 0.5m | |
Red fescue | 30 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | 0.5g | |
Festulolium | 60 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | — | 5 | 0.3 | — | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | — | |
Tall fescue | 50 | 0 | 0a | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0.3 | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 10 | — | — | 20b | 1.0 | ||
Red clover | 50 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 10 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 10 | 0j | 0.3 | 20 | 1.0 | 0.5 | |
White clover | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 10 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 10 | 0j | 0.3 | 20 | 1.0 | 0.5 | |
Sainfoin Seed/fruit | 400/600 | 0 | 0k | 2 | 5 | 5 | — | —k | 10 | — | —k | 10 | 0 | 0.3k | 20 | 1.0k | 0.5 | |
Lucerne | 50 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 10 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 10 | 0j | 0.3 | 20 | 1.0 | 0.5 | |
a For Certified Seed minimum standard, 1 seed of dodder in a sample of the size specified in column (2) shall not be regarded as an impurity if a second sample of the same weight is free from dodder. | ||||||||||||||||||
b The presence of a maximum of 80 seeds of Poa spp. in a sample of the size specified in column (2) shall not be regarded as an impurity. | ||||||||||||||||||
c There shall be no more than 0.4% by weight of annual meadowgrass. | ||||||||||||||||||
d In Basic Seed awned ryegrass seeds shall not exceed 5 seeds in a sample of the size specified in column (2) of seeds of a variety known not to produce seeds with awns. In Certified Seed awned ryegrass seeds shall not exceed 1% by weight in seeds of a variety known not to produce seeds with awns. | ||||||||||||||||||
e There shall be no more than 0.3% by weight ofAgrostisspp. | ||||||||||||||||||
f There shall be no more than 0.3% by weight of ryegrasses. | ||||||||||||||||||
g There shall be no more than 0.3% by weight of rough-stalked meadowgrass. | ||||||||||||||||||
h For Certified Seed, Higher Voluntary Standard of red fescue, there shall be no more than a total of 4 seeds of ryegrass, cocksfoot and meadow fescue in a sample of the size specified in column 2. | ||||||||||||||||||
j One seed of Melilotusspp. in a sample of the size specified in column (2) shall not be regarded as an impurity if a second sample of twice that size is free of Melilotusspp. | ||||||||||||||||||
k Including Commercial Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||
l In Certified Seed a maximum of 0.8% by weight of seeds of other meadowgrasses shall not be regarded as an impurity. | ||||||||||||||||||
m In Certified Seed a maximum of 0.4% by weight of seeds of other meadowgrasses shall not be regarded as an impurity. | ||||||||||||||||||
PART IIIASCOCHYTA FABAE STANDARDS
Category | Maximum percentage of infected seeds |
|---|---|
Certified Seed of the Second Generation | 1.0 |