The Beet Seeds Regulations 1993

Regulations 3(1) and (3), 5(3), (5), (6) and (7) and 9(2)

SCHEDULE 4 REQUIREMENTS FOR BASIC SEED AND CERtifIED SEED

PART I CONDITIONS RELATING TO CROPS FROM WHICH SEEDS 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 purity

2.  The varietal 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 inspections

3.  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, species purity and of the crop’s state of health to be made) as the Minister may reasonably require.

Previous cropping

4.  The crop may be grown only on land which has not previously been cropped in a manner that might adversely affect the nature or quality of the seeds to be produced and which complies with the Minister’s requirements in that respect.

Isolation distances

5.  There shall be a physical barrier or at least two metres of fallow between the seed crop and any crop likely to cause contamination in the seed.

6.  The minimum distances from neighbouring pollen sources shall be:

Crop	Minimum distance
The above distances can be disregarded if there is sufficient protection from any undesirable foreign pollinator. No isolation is necessary between seed crops using the same pollinator. The ploidy of both seed-bearing and pollen-shedding components of seed-producing crops is to be established by reference to the Common Catalogue or National List. If this information is not included for any variety, the ploidy is to be regarded as unknown, and a minimum isolation distance of 600 metres is required.
1.  For the production of Basic Seed: from any pollen sources of the genus Beta	1,000 m
2.  For the production of Certified Seed: (a) of sugar beet:
from any pollen sources of the genus Beta not included below	1,000 m
the intended pollinator or one of the intended pollinators being diploid, from tetraploid sugar beet pollen sources	600 m
the intended pollinator being exclusively tetraploid, from diploid sugar beet pollen sources	600 m
from sugar beet pollen sources, the ploidy of which is unknown	600 m
the intended pollinator or one of the intended pollinators being diploid, from diploid sugar beet pollen sources	300 m
the intended pollinator being exclusively tetraploid, from tetraploid sugar beet pollen sources	300 m
between two sugar beet seed production fields in which male sterility is not used	300 m
(b) of fodder beet:
from any pollen sources of the genus Beta not included below	1,000 m
the intended pollinator or one of the pollinators being diploid, from tetraploid fodder beet pollen sources	600 m
the intended pollinator being exclusively tetraploid, from diploid fodder beet pollen sources	600 m
from fodder beet pollen sources, the ploidy of which is unknown	600 m
the intended pollinator or one of the pollinators being diploid, from diploid fodder beet pollen sources	300 m
the intended pollinator being exclusively tetraploid, from tetraploid fodder beet pollen sources	300 m
between two fodder beet seed production fields in which male sterility is not used	300 m

7.  With approval of the Minister these distances may be modified if there is adequate protection against undesirable pollen.

Varietal purity

8.  The crop shall possess sufficient varietal identity and varietal purity.

PART II CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE SEEDS

1.  The seed shall have sufficient varietal identity and varietal purity.

2.  The seed must be of a satisfactory state of health insofar as seed-borne diseases and organisms affecting the seed are concerned.

3.  The seed shall meet the following minimum standards:

	Minimum analytical purity* (% by weight)	Minimum germination (% by number of clusters or pellets)	Maximum moisture content* (% by weight)
* Excluding where appropriate, granulated pesticides, pelleting substances or other solid additives.
(i) Sugar beet:
monogerm seed	97	80	15
precision seed	97	75	15
natural seed of varieties with more than 85% diploids	97	73	15
natural seed of varieties with 15% or more triploids and/or tetraploids	97	68	15 (ii) Fodder beet:
monogerm seed, precision seed and natural seed of varieties with more than 85% diploids	97	73	15
natural seed of varieties with 15% or more triploids and/or tetraploids	97	68

(b) The percentage by weight of seeds of other plants shall not exceed 0.3.

(c) Additional minimum germination requirements—

	Minimum percentage of germinated clusters with a single seedling	Maximum percentage of germinated clusters with 3 or more seedling
(i) monogerm seed	90	5
(ii) precision seeds of—
Sugar beet	70	5
Fodder beet
with more than 85% diploids	58	5
with 15% or more triploids and/or tetraploids	63	5

(d) Additional requirements for monogerm and precision seed which is monogerm

	Maximum percentage by weight of inert matter
Basic seed	1.0
Certified seed	0.5

In the case of pelleted seed the sample shall be drawn from processed seed which has undergone partial decortication but has not yet been pelleted.