Potato Science Lecture 9 Seed certification principles, agencies, and regulations.

1. Potato Science Lecture 9 Seed certification principles, agencies, and regulations.

2. Potato Science Lecture 7 Seed certification principles, agencies, and regulations. Seed Certification • Purpose and principles • Agencies • Regulations

3. History of Certification • 1900 - Dutch and Germans recognized chronic diseases and initiated roguing . • 1912 - U.S. Quarantine Act passed • 1913 to 1922 - Certification agencies organized in 22 states

4. Purpose of Certification “…to maintain and make available to the public high quality seeds of superior crop varieties so grown and distributed as to preserve genetic identity and purity.” ICIA Rules of Certification

5. NOTE! “Certification” is NOT a guarantee that no problems will occur. It indicates that the crop has met the rules of the certification agency.

6. XII. Disclaimer Representation and Limitation of Remedy and Liability A. Since the use of certified seed potatoes is beyond the control of the grower, the seller, the inspector, the Idaho Federal-State Inspection Service and the Idaho Crop Improvement Association, Inc. Make NO representation of any kind, expressed or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, quality or freedom from disease, is made concerning certified seed potatoes which extends beyond the description set forth.

7. Certified Seed Potatoes Not a Guarantee, but… • Produced under strict guidelines • Many inspections • Not commercial production • Seed is more expensive to produce • Seed is more risky

8. “Limited Generation” • Lab derived, disease-free stocks • Increased a “limited” # of years • G6 last generation allowed (ID) • Most is G3 with G2 < and G4>

9. Inspections Seed can be rejected if it fails any of these inspections!! • 2 summer field inspections • Storage inspections • Winter grow-out in CA • Shipping point inspections

10. Why Inspect ? • Disease (virus, BRR, others) • Variety mixes • Herbicide damage/carryover • Seed lot identity • Other?

11. The Idaho Crop Improvement Association, Inc. inspector and Idaho Federal-State inspector are given authority to refuse to tag and seal any seed potatoes for any condition or situation that may bring certification into disfavor or make an accurate inspection impossible.

12. IDAHO CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. RULES OF CERTIFICATION for SEED POTATOES IN IDAHO PART I - GENERAL INFORMATION http://www.idahocrop.com/StandardDocs/97Potato-R&R07.pdf

13. Certification Procedures • Considered to be a voluntary program (majority consent) • Each state agency published regulations approved by grower advisory committees • Certification is issued for potato lots that meet regulations

14. Certification Procedures • Certification based on a series of inspections • Certification can be withheld only upon failure to meet regulations • Most states now use a limited generation program

15. Certification Agencies • State agencies are independent • May be sponsored by grower groups, agriculture departments, universities, or other organizations • Regulations, terminology, and tolerances differ by state

18. Certification Terms • Certification - attaching of the official certification tag • Certified seed - potatoes that have met Idaho Rules of Certification and met grade requirements • Generation - a classification scheme based on years of field production

19. Certification Terms • Limited-generation seed - seed originating from a pathogen free source and grown for a maximum number of years (7) in the field • Seed lot - seed potatoes from a field(s) entered for certification on a single application

20. Certification Terms • Disqualification - removal of eligibility for certification status • Downgrading - changing generation status due to failure to meet tolerances • Recertifying – registering and growing for another season in the seed program • Roguing - removal or destruction of diseased or undesirable plants from a lot

22. Certification Terms • Tolerance - maximum amount of a certification factor allowed • Zero tolerance factor - none of the factor allowed in a seed lot (ring rot, RK nematode, CRS) • Shipping point inspection - inspection of tubers after grading but prior to shipping

23. Tolerances have been established for : Potato Leaf Roll “PLRV” Potato Virus Y “PVY”

24. Potato Leaf Roll “Net necrosis”

25. PVY Tuber necrotic ringspot “PTNRD”

26. Zero tolerance disease : Bacterial Ring Rot “BRR”

27. Variable? tolerance disease : Bacterial Soft Rot/ Blackleg

28. Disease of note: Potato late blight

29. Certification Procedures • Identity preserved lot entered by grower • Five inspections conducted Two summer field inspections storage inspection winter test inspection shipping point inspection • Certification tag attached

30. Certification ProceduresEligibility Seed farm eligibility • all seed entered Seed stock eligibility • limited generation clause • previous certification • no BRR on production farm • out-of-state seed meet state tolerances

32. Certification ProceduresFirst Field Inspection Land Requirements • No RK nematode, CRS, Rhizomania • No uncertpotatoes or BRR year before Isolation Requirements • 20 feet from uncertified • 6 feet from other certified

33. Certification ProceduresFirst Field Inspection Meet field tolerances for • Varietal mix • PVY and mosaic • Leafroll • Blackleg • Total virus • Samples taken for PVX tests

35. Certification ProceduresSecond Field Inspection Meet field tolerances for • Varietal mix • PVY and mosaic • Leafroll • Blackleg • Total virus

37. Certification ProceduresStorage Inspection Eligibility maintenance • Absence of sprout inhibitors • Absence of other problem potatoes • Lot identity maintained • Lot separation

38. Certification ProceduresWinter Test Inspection California Winter Test ELISA testing

39. Seed Seminar Program Report:2013 Winter Test Update 21 January, 2014

45. Certification ProceduresShipping Point Inspection • Grade tolerances for rot, size, freezing injury, scab, defects, mechanical injury, varietal purity, and foreign material • Blue Tag - 10% defects, 3% freezing injury, 1% rot • Also Green Tag, Yellow Tag

48. XI. Grade Requirements • A. Idaho Certified Blue Tag Seed Potatoes • The blue tag shall be equivalent to U.S. No. 1 seed potato grade with the following exceptions. There is a 1% tolerance for late blight. • 1. Scab - shall not cover more than one-fifth of the surface area. • 2. Adhering dirt - a maximum of 50% of the tuber surface may be covered with caked dirt. • 3. Loose dirt and/or foreign material - included in total external tolerance. • 4. Clipping or trimming not allowed. • 5. Freshly broken off second growth - shall not be damaged. • 6. Wireworm - damaged by waste. • 7. Tolerances: For total defects 10%. Three percent (3%) for potatoes which are affected by freezing injury. One percent (1%) for potatoes which are affected by soft rot, wet breakdown or are frozen. The limitations for external and internal defects shall apply as written in the U.S. No. 1 seed potato grade. • 8. An additional 10% may be damaged, but not seriously, by shape.

49. The blue tag shall be equivalent to U.S. No. 1 seed potato grade with the following exceptions.

50. B. Idaho Certified Green Tag Seed Potatoes The green tag grade shall be equivalent to the U.S. No. 2 grade with the following exceptions. There is a 1% tolerance for late blight. 1. Size - 1 3/8 inches minimum