The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017

Soil requirements

11.—(1) Pre-basic mother plants and pre-basic material may only be grown in soil that is free from any pests which are listed in Annex III to Directive 2014/98/EU, for the genus or species concerned and which host viruses affecting that genus or species.

(2) Freedom from such pests must be established by sampling and testing.

(3) Sampling and testing for pests listed in Annex III to Directive 2014/98/EU must be carried out—

(a) before the pre-basic mother plants or the pre-basic material is planted and must be repeated during growth where there is suspicion concerning the presence of the pests referred to in sub-paragraph (1);

(b) taking into account the climatic conditions and the biology of the pests listed in Annex III to Directive 2014/98/EU, and where those pests are relevant for the pre-basic mother plants or the pre-basic material concerned.

(4) Sampling and testing is not required—

(a) where plants, which are hosts for the pests listed in Annex III to Directive 2014/98/EU for the genus or species concerned, have not been grown in the soil of production for a period of at least five years and where there is no doubt concerning the absence of the relevant pests in that soil;

(b) where the Department concludes, on the basis of an official inspection, that the soil is free from any pests which are listed in Annex III to Directive 2014/98/EU, for the genus or species concerned, and which host viruses affecting that genus or species.