The Soft Fruit Plants (Scotland) Order 1991

PART II STANDARD GRADE

3.  Blackcurrant bushes of the Standard Grade (S) shall–

(a) be a recognised commercial variety;

(b) be eligible for certification at Standard grade for as long as the stock maintains the standards required for Standard grade;

(c) not be more than 3 years old in the case of bushes for sale or 4 years in the case of bushes grown for the production of propagation material;

(d) be grown in the year entered for certification by a person whose facilities and planting arrangements are acceptable to the Secretary of State;

(e) not be grown on land on which strawberry Red Core disease (Phytophthora fragariae) or raspberry Root Rot disease (Phytophthora megasperma) has been known to occur or be present in the vicinity;

(f) not be grown on land which is subject to a Notice served or continued under the Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1987 in respect of infection by Wart Disease of potatoes or Potato Cyst Nematode;

(g) be kept sufficiently spaced to prevent overcrowding and allow each bush to be inspected;

(h) be kept at all times in the year of certification–

(i) at least 1 metre from different varieties and stocks of blackcurrants;

(ii) at least 50 metres from all other black currant varieties showing symptoms of Reversion or evidence of being, or having been, affected with Big Bud Mite;

(i) be inspected twice during the growing season by inspectors;

(j) not be excessively rogued prior to inspection;

(k) be clearly labelled by variety and age;

(l) be true to type;

(m) be kept in a reasonable state of cultivation.

4.  The standards of purity and health for Standard grade blackcurrant bushes shall be–

• Purity: 99.5%

• Health:

  (a)

  99% free from Big Bud Mite, Reversion and other discernible virus diseases;

  (b)

  substantially free from American Gooseberry Mildew;

  (c)

  reasonably free from other pests and diseases.