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

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

Potato Science Lecture 7 Seed certification principles, agencies, and regulations.

Seed Certification

Purpose and principlesAgenciesRegulations

History of Certification1900 - Dutch and Germans recognized chronic

diseases and initiated roguing.

1912 - U.S. Quarantine Act passed

1913 to 1922 - Certification agencies organized in 22 states

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

NOTE!

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

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.

Certified Seed Potatoes

Produced under strict guidelines Many inspections Not commercial production Seed is more expensive to produce Seed is more risky

Not a Guarantee, but…

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

“Limited Generation”

2 summer field inspectionsStorage inspections Winter grow-out in CA Shipping point inspections

Inspections

Seed can be rejected if it fa

ils any

of these inspections!!

Disease (virus, BRR, others) Variety mixes Herbicide damage/carryover Seed lot identity Other?

Why Inspect ?

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.

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

Certification ProceduresConsidered 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

Certification ProceduresCertification based on a series of inspections

Certification can be withheld only upon failure to meet regulations

Most states now use a limited generation program

Certification AgenciesState agencies are independentMay be sponsored by grower groups,

agriculture departments, universities, or other organizations

Regulations, terminology, and tolerances differ by state

Certification TermsCertification - attaching of the official

certification tagCertified seed - potatoes that have met

Idaho Rules of Certification and met grade requirements

Generation - a classification scheme based on years of field production

Certification TermsLimited-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

Certification TermsDisqualification - removal of eligibility for

certification statusDowngrading - changing generation status

due to failure to meet tolerancesRecertifying – registering and growing for

another season in the seed programRoguing - removal or destruction of

diseased or undesirable plants from a lot

Certification TermsTolerance - maximum amount of a

certification factor allowedZero 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

Potato Leaf Roll“PLRV”

Potato Virus Y“PVY”

Tolerances have been established for :

Potato Leaf Roll“Net necrosis”

PVYTuber necrotic ringspot

“PTNRD”

Bacterial Ring Rot “BRR”

Zero tolerance disease :

Bacterial Soft Rot/Blackleg

Variable? tolerance disease :

Disease of note:

Potato late blight

Certification ProceduresIdentity preserved lot entered by growerFive inspections conducted Two summer field inspections

storage inspection winter test inspection shipping point inspectionCertification tag attached

Certification ProceduresEligibility

Seed farm eligibility all seed enteredSeed stock eligibility limited generation clause previous certification no BRR on production farm out-of-state seed meet state tolerances

Certification ProceduresFirst Field Inspection

Land Requirements No RK nematode, CRS, Rhizomania No uncert potatoes or BRR year beforeIsolation Requirements 20 feet from uncertified 6 feet from other certified

Certification ProceduresFirst Field Inspection

Meet field tolerances for Varietal mixPVY and mosaicLeafroll BlacklegTotal virusSamples taken for PVX tests

Certification ProceduresSecond Field Inspection

Meet field tolerances for Varietal mixPVY and mosaicLeafrollBlacklegTotal virus

Certification ProceduresStorage Inspection

Eligibility maintenanceAbsence of sprout inhibitorsAbsence of other problem potatoesLot identity maintainedLot separation

Certification ProceduresWinter Test Inspection

California Winter TestELISA testing

Seed Seminar Program Report:2013 Winter Test Update21 January, 2014

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

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.

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

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

C. Idaho Certified Yellow Tag Seed Potatoes The yellow 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 - 12 ounces maximum - no minimum size, unless otherwise specified.

Theory

Practice

Seed Certification is: A system that provides quality seed That will perform for the producer Minimal risk – but nothing’s perfect Achievable by seed producers Process is dynamic Rules can be changed

Seed Certification Costs Quality seed isn’t cheap! Currently costs 25.40 / acre Locked in for a few years Will need to be increased? When? How much more?

Case History

PVY in Idaho 1990-2011

PVY vs Certification in IdahoSolution arrived at by trial and error Recertification tolerances very low % Commercial seed = higher tolerances 1990 >5% PVY = rejection 1997 >10% = rejection 2000 >15% = rejection 2005 no rejection for virus

Certification ProceduresWinter Test Inspection

California Winter TestELISA testing Cert. Recert.Leafroll 2% 0.8%PVY 10% 2.0%Chemical injury 5% --

?

RationaleWhy eliminate tolerances on cert seed? Achievable by seed producers? Out-of-state seed meets ID tolerances? States don’t control each others rules This change leveled the playing field

PVY vs Certification in IdahoThe train wreck of 2007 2007 frost at winter test site Several lots certified with >50% PVY! Lots of negative fallout ICIA abandoned visual insp for PVY 100% of the crop is now ELISA tested

Has this change been effective?

PVY in Idaho seed 2007-2013

PVY Status (% of Lots) (as of 01/14/14)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

102030405060708090

100

12 1934

5231

50 54

6061

5140

5037 25

27 20 16 8 19 13 21

Clean Infected Ineligible

Current and Future Issues

Idaho Certified Seed LawNon-certified seed can be used if:Only one year out of certification User must have grown crop himselfUser must have stored crop himselfMust be winter tested for PLRV, PVY

and BRR.

Canada/US-Management Plan for PotatoViruses that Cause Tuber Necrosis

This plan proposes immediate measures to manage the risks associated with several pests that occur in both countries, including Potato mop top virus (PMTV), Potato virus Y (PVY) complex and Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), through seed potato certification measures. Through surveys and research, data will be collected and evaluated to better understand the biology of these viruses and their vectors, thus enabling the establishment of further control measures.

Certification AgenciesState agencies are independentRules different state to stateOther countries = one unified system USA system confusing for them Causes problems with exports MOU?