GRASS SEED

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS

I. BASIC RULES

The UCIA General Seed Certification Requirements and Standards are basic and with the following constitute the requirements and standards for grass seed certification.

II. SEED PRODUCTION

A. APPLICATIONS

1. Dates and fees for applications are as listed in the General Requirements and Standards.

2. For the seedling year, fill out "Application for Certification for Annual Crops and Seedling Perennial Crops"; in the second and subsequent years fill out "Application for Certification for Established Perennial Crops".

B. SEED ELIGIBILITY

A list of grass varieties currently certified in Utah (See Prefix A) is updated periodically, but other varieties may be eligible. Note the seed classes eligible to plant for certification; in some varieties there is no Registered class.

C. LAND REQUIREMENTS

1. Grass entered for certified seed production must be planted on land free from any type of perennial grass plants (including quackgrass and other weedy perennial grasses) as determined by field inspection by a UCIA representative at a time preceding planting when such grasses would be actively growing.

2. Foundation, Registered, and Certified seed must be produced on land which has not grown or been seeded to the same genus during four, three, or two years, respectively, prior to the year of proposed planting.

3. Isolation:

a. A fenceline, roadway, or strip at least 5 feet in width and which is mowed, uncropped, or planted to some other crop than the kind in question shall constitute a field boundary (unit of certification).

b. A seed field, to be eligible for the production of a class of certified seed, must be isolated from any other strain of the same species or any other species with which cross pollination occurs, in bloom at the same time, as listed below:

Minimum Isolation –

Feet *b

Factor

Found.

Reg.

Cert.

Border to be Removed *c

Cross-pollinated *a

900

600

450

300

225

150

165

100

Strains at least 80% apomictic and highly self-fertile species

*a The isolation distances also apply to the following wheatgrass selections which cross in varying degrees under field conditions:

Intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium = Thinopyrum intermedium) must be isolated from pubescent wheatgrass (Agropyron trichophorum = Thinopyrum intermedium).

"Standard" crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum), Siberian wheatgrass (Agropyron fragile = sibiricum) and 'Fairway' crested wheatgrass (Agropyron crisatum; often contaminated with A. desertorum types) must be isolated from each other and from hybrids such as 'Hycrest' and 'CD II'.

Beardless wheatgrass (Agropyron inerme = Pseudoroegaeria spicata), bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum = Pseudoroegaeria spicata), and R/S Hybrid wheatgrass (bluebunch wheatgrass X quackgrass) must all be isolated from each other; R/S Hybrid wheatgrass must also be isolated from quackgrass (Agropyron repens).

Streambank wheatgrass (Agropyron riparium = Elymus lanceolatus) must be isolated from thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum = Elymus lanceolatus).

Snake River wheatgrass is a subspecies of Elymus lanceolatus and the variety 'Secar' must be isolated from both bluebunch (beardless) wheatgrass and streambank (thickspike wheatgrass) selections.

*b When different classes of the same variety are being grown on the same or adjacent fields, the isolation requirements may be reduced to 25% of that shown in the above table.

*c Isolation distance may be reduced by removing specified border on fields of 5 acres or more. Such removal shall not occur until pollination of the crop to be certified is completed.

*d Isolation for the Certified class is based on the size of the certified field and the percentage of the field within 165 feet of another variety of grass. If 10 percent or less of the certified field is within the 165 foot isolation zone, no isolation is required--only a definite separation such as a road, fenceline, bare ground, etc. If more than 10 percent of the field is within the isolation zone, that part of the field must not be harvested as certified seed.

The "isolation zone" is that area calculated by multiplying the length of the common border(s) with other varieties of grass by the average width of the certified grass field falling within the 165 ft. isolation distance requirement.

D. SEEDING

1. It is recommended that grasses be planted in rows at least 18 inches (preferably 30" - 36") apart so that (a) volunteer plants and weeds may be cultivated out; (b) makes it easier to inspect and rogue out off-types; and (c) seed yields will be maximized.

2. When more than one strain or variety of any one genus of grass may be grown for seed production on any one farm the UCIA must be consulted to ensure proper planting equipment cleanup and field isolation so varietal mixtures do not occur.

3. Reseeding new grass plantings shall be limited to the first two years, and the field must be inspected before reseeding. Additional fees may be charged for re-inspection. The seed source for reseeding must be of the same class as the original seed used, or the field will be reclassified to the lowest seed class planted.

E. FIELD INSPECTION

1. A seedling inspection will be made by a UCIA representative during the first season of growth to evaluate the stand and perennial weed control status.

2. At least one field inspection after heading out but before harvest will be made each year that a certified seed crop is to be harvested.

F. FIELD STANDARDS

1. Fields producing Foundation or Registered seed will be subject to reclassification or rejection if volunteer plants of the same species are allowed to mature seed. Excessive natural reseeding may disquality Certified fields.

2. Tolerance in the Field for Other Varieties and Grasses

Maximum Permitted in Each Class

Factor

Foundation

Registered

Certified

Other Varieties

0.1%

0.5%

1.0%

Other Grasses

0.1%

0.5%

1.0%

G. HARVEST

Grass seed may be moved in bulk (box or truck) or in bags (each clearly identified) from the harvesting machine to farm storage or to conditioning facilities. Identity and purity of seed must be maintained and prior approval of equipment and facilities used for transporting, handling, and storing of seed must be given by a UCIA representative.

III. CONDITIONING, SAMPLING, AND LABELING

A. SEED STANDARDS

1. General

Standards for Each Class

Factor

Foundation

Registered

Certified

Total other crops (max)

Other varieties (max) *a

Other kinds (max) *b

0.1%

0.5%

0.1%

0.2%

1.5%

1.0%

0.25% (turf use)

0.5% (forage use)

Weed seed, non-regulated weeds (max)

0.1%

0.2%

0.3%

Weed seed, regulated weeds

Prohibited *d

Restricted *e

Objectionable *f

None

9 per lb

None

9 per lb

18 per lb

*a Other varieties of bluegrass in a bluegrass variety (max): 0.5% Registered; 2.0%, Certified

*b Seed of Critana thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachum) may contain up to 30% slender wheatgrass (Agropyron trachycanlum) type.

*c For Indian ricegrass, 0.25%.

*d Includes the noxious weeds listed in the General Requirements and Standards and the following: perennial sowthistle (Sunchus arvensis), bur ragweed (Franseris discolor), and halogeton (Halogeton gloneratus).

*e Wild oats and jointed goatgrass (Triticum cylindricum).

*f Poverty weed

2. Specific

Variety

Type of Re-production *a

Percent Pure Seed (min.%) FRC

Percent Inert Matter (max %) FRC

Percent Germ *b (min.%) FRC

BLUEGRASS

Kentucky

BROMEGRASS

Meadow

Smooth

FESCUE

Tall

FOXTAIL (Creeping)

ORCHARDGRASS

RICEGRASS, Indian

TALL OATGRASS

WHEATGRASS

Beardless

Bluebunch

Crested

Intermediate

Pubescent

R/S Hybrid

Siberian

Steambank

Tall

Thickspike

Western

87.5

WILDRYE

Russian

Basin