Regulations 3(1) and (3), 5(3), (5), (6), (7) and (11) and 9(2), (3) and (4)
SCHEDULE 4REQUIREMENTS FOR BASIC SEED, CERTIFIED SEED ANDCERTIFIED SEED OF THE FIRST AND SECOND GENERATIONS
PART ICONDITIONS 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 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 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 wild oats contamination 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.—(a) There shall be a physical barrier or at least two metres of fallow or non-cereal crops between the crop and another cereal crop.
(b)For rye the minimum distance from neighbouring crops of other varieties of rye or crops of the same variety of rye of a lower category shall be:—
(a)Crops to produce Pre-basic Seed and Basic Seed ... ... ... ... 300 metres
(b)Crops to produce Certified Seed ... ... ... ... 250 metres
(c)For self-pollinating varieties of triticale the minimum distance from neighbouring crops or other varieties of triticale of a lower category shall be—
(i)Crops to produce Pre-Basic Seed and Basic seed ... ... ... ... 50 metres
(ii)Crops to produce Certified Seed ... ... ... ... 20 metres
With the approval of the Minister these distances may be modified if there is adequate protection against undesirable pollen.
Standards for varietal purity, species purity and wild oats
6.
| Crops to produce | Level | Varietal purity (excluding rye! and maize#) percentage by number | Species purity (excluding rye and maize) percentage by number | Wild oats* maximum number per hectare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| oats | barley | wheat durum and spelt wheat | rye and maize | triticale | ||||
* Wild oats — Avena fatua, Avena sterilis, Avena luoviciana. | ||||||||
! For rye the number of plants of the same crop species which are recognisable as obviously not being true to the variety shall not exceed one per 30 sq m for the production of Basic Seed and one per 10 sq m for the production of Certified Seed. | ||||||||
+ Crops to produce seeds at the Higher Voluntary Standard must not be more than one—third laid at the time of inspection. | ||||||||
# For maize, the crop shall comply with the standards set out in paragraph 8(d) below. | ||||||||
| Basic Seed Minimum | +Higher Voluntary Standard | 99.95 | 99.99 | Nil | 7 | 7 | — | — |
| standard | 99.9 | No standard | Nil | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| Certified Seed | — | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | — |
| Certified Seed of the First Generation | +Higher Voluntary Standard | 99.9 | 99.99 | Nil | 7 | 7 | — | — |
| Minimum Standard | 99.7 | No standard | Nil | 20 | 50 | — | 50 | |
| Certified Seed of the Second Generation | +Higher Voluntary Standard | 99.7 | 99.99 | Nil | 7 | 7 | — | — |
| Minimum Standard | 99.0 | No standard | Nil | 20 | 50 | — | — | |
Standards for Loose Smut Infection
7. Barley, wheat, durum wheat, spelt wheat
| Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| (maximum percentage by number) | ||
| Basic Seed ... ... ... ... | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Certified Seed of the First Generation ... ... ... ... | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Certified Seed of the Second Generation ... ... ... ... | 0.5 | 0.2 |
Seeds produced from a crop which has failed on official examination to meet the standards laid down by this paragraph may nevertheless be eligible for official certification—
(a)if they have been adequately treated by any method approved by the Minister for the control of loose smut, or
(b)if an embryo test carried out by an official seed testing station, on the sample submitted for official examination shows that the seeds meet those standards.
Special conditions for maize
8.—(a) For hybrid varieties the plant shall conform to the known characteristics of the parental lines.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 3 of this part of this Schedule, in respect of maize, the cultural condition of the field must also permit sufficient checks of the varietal identity and the varietal purity of the inbred lines and of the emasculation of plants for the production of seeds of hybrid varieties.
(c)Unless there is adequate protection against undesirable pollen there should be a distance of at least 200 metres from neighbouring crops of other varieties or inbred lines or from crops of the same variety or inbred line of a lower category.
(d)(i)The percentage by number of recognisable off-types shall not exceed, for the production of—
| Basic Seed ... ... ... ... | 0.1 |
| Certified Seed of hybrid varieties ... ... ... ... | 0.2 |
| Certified Seed of open pollinated varieties ... ... ... ... | 0.5 |
(ii)With regard to the emasculation of plants for the production of Certified Seed of hybrid varieties, the observed percentage of plants of the female parent ascertained to have emitted pollen shall not exceed one at any one official examination and shall not exceed two in all the official examinations carried out on the crop;
(iii)In the production of Certified Seed of hybrid varieties, all the parent plants shall flower sufficiently simultaneously.
PART IICONDITIONS RELATING TO THE SEEDS
1. The seeds shall possess the varietal identity and the varietal purity (appropriate to the kind, category and level of the seeds) specified in Part I. This condition shall be applicable by analogy to inbred lines of maize.
2. The seeds shall be of a satisfactory state of health in so far as seed-borne diseases and organisms affecting the seeds are concerned.
3. The seeds shall comply with the following standards:—
(a)Oats, barley, wheat, durum wheat and spelt wheat
| Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Germination (% by number) | All categories | 85 | 85 |
| Analytical Purity (% by weight) | Basic Seed (except triticale) | 99 | 99 |
| Basic Seed (triticale) | 98 | — | |
| All other categories | 98 | 99 |
In the case of varieties of Avena sativa which are officially classified as “naked oat” types the minimum germination standard is 75%. In such instances the official label shall be endorsed “minimum germination capacity 75%”.
Sample Purity Standards
Minimum Standard-maximum number of other seeds or structures in 500 g.
| Seeds of Other Plant Species | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | All other species | Other cultivated cereal species | All species other than cultivated cereals | Avena fatua Avena sterilis, Avena ludoviciana (wild oats) or Lolium temulentum (darnel) | Raphanus raphanistrum (wild radish), or Agrostemma githago (corn cockle) | Ergot (pieces) |
! Concerning the maximum content of seed of the species Avena fatua, Avena sterilis, Avena ludoviciana or Lolium temulentum. The presence of one seed of one of these species in 500 g shall not be considered an impurity if a search of a further 500 g from the same submitted sample is free. | ||||||
* Concerning the maximum content of seeds of other cereal species. Where the maximum content is fixed at one seed, a second seed shall not be regarded as an impurity, if a search of a further 500 g from the same submitted sample is free. | ||||||
| Basic Seed | 4 | 1* | 3 | 0! | 1 | 1 |
| Certified Seed of the First Generation and Certified Seed of the Second Generation | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0* | 3 | 3 |
Higher Voluntary Standard-maximum number of other seeds or structures in 1 kg sample
| Seeds of Other Plant Species | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | All other species | Other cultivated cereal species | All species other than cereal species | Avena fatua Avena sterilis, Avena ludoviciana or Lolium temulentum | Raphanus raphanistrum or Agrostemma githago or Bromus sterilis (sterile brome) or Agropyron repens (Couch) | Ergot (pieces) |
! In Basic Seed the nil standard shall apply in respect of Raphanus raphanistrum and Agrostemma githago only. | ||||||
| Basic Seed | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0! | 0 |
| Certified Seed of the First Generation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Certified Seed of the Second Generation | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
(b)Rye
| Germination (% by number) | Basic and Certified Seed | 85 |
| Analytical Purity (% by weight) | Basic and Certified Seed | 98 |
| Sample Purity Standards | ||
| Maximum number of seeds in 500 g. |
| Seeds of Other Plant Species | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | All other species | Other cultivated cereal species | All species other than cultivated cereals | Avena fatua Avena sterilis, Avena ludoviciana or Lolium temulentum | Raphanus raphanistrum or Agrostemma githago | Ergot (pieces) |
! Concerning the maximum content of seed of the species Avena fatua, Avena sterilis, Avena ludoviciana or Lolium temulentum. The presence of one seed of one of these species in 500 g shall not be considered an impurity if a search of a further 500 g from the same submitted sample is free. | ||||||
* Concerning the maximum content of seeds of other cereal species.Where the maximum content is fixed at one seed, a second seed shall not be regarded as an impurity, if a search of a further 500 g from the same submitted sample is free. | ||||||
| Basic Seed | 4 | 1* | 3 | 0! | 1 | 1 |
| Certified Seed ... ... ... ... | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0! | 3 | 3 |
(c)Maize
| Germination (% by number) | All categories ... ... ... ... | 90 |
| Analytical Purity (% by weight) ... ... ... ... | All categories ... ... ... ... | 98 |
| Sample Purity Standards | Maximum content of seeds of other plant species (number of seeds in 250 g) (All categories) | Nil |
PART IIISEED STANDARD FOR MOISTURE CONTENT
The moisture content of all categories and levels shall not exceed 17% by weight.
PART IVSEED STANDARDS FOR LOOSE SMUT INFECTION
Barley, wheat, durum wheat, spelt wheat
| Minimum Standard | Higher Voluntary Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| (maximum percentage by number) | ||
| Basic Seed ... ... ... ... | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Certified Seed of the First Generation | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Certified Seed of the Second Generation | 0.5 | 0.2 |