ASPARAGUS (Asparagus officinalis L.)

I. Application and Amplification of General Seed Certification Standards

The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and, together with the following specific standards constitute the standards for certification of  asparagus seed. 

II. Land requirements

Land to be used for seed production of asparagus shall be free of volunteer plants. 

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of three inspections shall be made, the first at crowning stage,  the second during flowering and fruiting stage, and the third at maturity and prior harvesting.

IV. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

Seed fields shall be isolated from the contaminants shown in the column 1 of the Table below by the distances specified in columns 2 and 3 of the said Table:

        Contaminants                                                                                   Minimum distance (meters)

                                                                                                                Foundation        Certified

            1                                                                                                         2                     3

Fields of other varieties                                                                                  500                 300

Fields of the same variety not conforming to 

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                     500                 300

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

       Offtypes                                                                                               0.10                    0.20   

    * Maximum permitted at and after flowering.

V. Seed standards

        Factor                                                                                              Standards for each class

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

Pure seed (minimum)                                                                                96.0%                    96.0%

Inert matter (maximum)                                                                              4.0%                       4.0%

Other crop seeds (maximum)                                                                     5/ kg                     10 / kg

Weed seeds (maximum)                                                                            5/ kg                     10 / kg

Germination (minimum)                                                                              70%                       70%

Moisture (maximum)                                                                                  8.0%                      8.0%

For vapour-proof containers (maximum)                                                    6.0%                      6.0%