The Seed Marketing Regulations 2011

CHAPTER 2 Higher voluntary standards

Higher voluntary standards for cereals

16.—(1) Barley, oats, wheat (including durum wheat and spelt wheat) or naked oats classified as basic seed, or certified seed of categories C1 or C2, may be marketed as being of a higher voluntary standard, which is a standard higher than that regulated under Chapter 1, if it meets the higher standards in this Chapter.

(2) The crop must have at least 99.99% (by number) species purity.

(3) Other than a hybrid, the minimum varietal purity of seed is—

(a) 99.95% for basic seed;

(b) 99.9% for C1 seed;

(c) 99.7% for C2 seed.

(4) In the case of C1 and C2 the seed must have 99% by weight analytical purity.

Additional requirements for barley, wheat, durum wheat and spelt wheat

17.  In the case of barley, wheat, durum wheat and spelt wheat—

(a) the maximum number of wild oats in a crop is 7 per hectare.

(b) the maximum percentage by number of loose smut infection in seed is—

(i) 0.1% for basic seed;

(ii) 0.2% for C1 and C2 seed.

Seed from other plants

18.  The number of seeds from other plant species in a sample of 1000g must not exceed the following.

Seed of other species

Category of seed sampled	All other plant species (including species specified in columns 3 to 6)	Other cereal species	All plant species other than cereals	Wild oats or darnel	Wild radish, corn cockle, sterile brome or couch
(a) Only in respect of wild radish and corn cockle.
Basic seed	1	0	1	0	0(a)
C1	2	1	1	0	1
C2	4	3	2	0	1

Ergot and sclerotia

19.  In a sample of 1000g—

(a) in the case of basic seed there must be no ergot or sclerotia;

(b) in the case of certified seed (C1 or C2) there must be no more than one piece of ergot or sclerotia.