The Forest Reproductive Material (Great Britain) Regulations 2002

Requirements for genetic evaluation of components of basic material

2.—(a) Only the components of the following basic material may be genetically evaluated: seed orchards, parents of family, clones and clonal mixtures.

(b) Documentation

• The following additional documentation is required for approval of the basic material:

  (i)

  evidence or a statement of the identity, origin and pedigree of the evaluated components; and

  (ii)

  evidence or a statement or plan of the crossing design used to produce the reproductive material used in the evaluation tests.

(c) Test procedures

• The following requirements must be met:

  (i)

  the genetic value of each component must be estimated in two or more evaluation test-sites, at least one of which must be in an environment relevant to the proposed specified use of the reproductive material;

  (ii)

  the estimated superiority of the reproductive material to be marketed shall be calculated on the basis of these genetic values and the specific crossing design; and

  (iii)

  evaluation tests and genetic calculations must be approved in writing by the Commissioners.

(d) Interpretation

(i) The estimated superiority of the reproductive material shall be calculated against a reference population for a character or set of characters.

(ii) The applicant seeking approval under regulation 7(7) shall advise the Commissioners whether the estimated genetic value of the reproductive material is inferior to the reference population for any important character.