The Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993

BASIC SEED, CERTIFIED SEED AND STANDARD SEED CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE SEEDS

1.  The seeds shall possess adequate varietal identity and varietal purity.

2.  The seeds shall meet the following minimum standards:—

Kind	Minimum analytical purity (% by weight)	Maximum content of seeds of other plant species (% by weight)	Minimum germination (% of pure seeds or pellets)
Asparagus	96	0.5	70
Beet (except var. Cheltenham)	97	0.5	70 (Clusters)
Beet (var. Cheltenham)	97	0.5	50 (Clusters)
Broad bean	98	0.1	80
Brussels sprouts	97	1	75
Cabbage	97	1	75
Calabrese	97	1	75
Carrot	95	1	65
Cauliflower	97	1	70
Celeriac	97	1	70
Celery	97	1	70
Chicory	95	1.5	65
Chinese cabbage	97	1	75
Cucumber	98	0.1	80
Curly Kale or borecole	97	1	75
Endive	95	1	65
French bean	98	0.1	75
Gherkin	98	0.1	80
Gourd	98	0.1	80
Kohl rabi	97	1	75
Leek	97	0.5	65
Lettuce	95	0.5	75
Marrow	98	0.1	75
Melon	98	0.1	75
Onion	97	0.5	70
Parsley	97	1	65
Pea	98	0.1	80
Radish	97	1	70
Red Cabbage	97	1	75
Runner bean	98	0.1	80
Savoy cabbage	97	1	75
Spinach	97	1	75
Sprouting broccoli	97	1	75
Tomato	97	0.5	75
Turnip	97	1	80

(b) Additional requirements

(i) Seeds of runner beans, French bean, pea or broad bean must not be contaminated by the following live pea and bean seed beetles:

• Acanthoscelides obtectusSay.

• Bruchus affinisFro.

• Bruchus atomariusL.

• Bruchus pisorumL.

• Bruchus rufimanusBoh.

(ii) Seeds must not be contaminated with live mites (Acarina).

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. The following standards or measures shall apply:—

Kind	Disease	Category	No. of seeds to be examined	Standard
* Where infected seeds are found an effective treatment approved by the Minister must be applied before the seeds can be officially certified.
† Where not more than 20 infected seeds are found in Basic Seed, or more than 20 infected seeds are found in Certified Seed an effective treatment approved by the Minister must be applied before the seeds can be officially certified.
Brassicas	Phoma lingam(Canker)	Basic Seed	1,000	*Nil infection
Red beet or beetroot	Phoma betae(Blackleg)	Basic Seed	200	*Nil Infection
Celery	Septoria apiicola(Leaf blight),	Basic Seed Certified Seed	400	*Nil infection
Peas	Phoma apiicola(Root rot)
	Ascochyta pisi	Basic Seed	200	*Nil infection
	Mycosphaerella pinodes, Ascochyta pinodella, (Leaf and pod spot)	Certified Seed	200	†Not more than 20 seeds
Lettuce	Lettuce mosaic virus	Basic Seed Certified Seed	5,000	Nil Infection
French beans	(i) Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (Anthracnose)	Basic Seed	600	Nil infection
	(ii) Pseudomonas phaseolicola(Halo blight)	Basic Seed	5,000	Nil infection
Broad beans	Ascochyta fabae(Leaf and pod spot)	Basic Seed	600	Nil infection