CASTOR (Ricinus communis 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 castor seed.

II. Land requirements

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

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of two inspections shall be made from the time the crop approaches flowering until it is ready for harvesting.

IV. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

Castor 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                                                                                  300                  150

Fields of the same variety not conforming to the

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                     300                  150

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

      Offtypes                                                                                               0.10                    0.20

*Maximum permitted at any inspection at and flowering.

V. Seed standards

        Factor                                                                                              Standards for each class

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

Pure seed (minimum)                                                                                98.0%                    98.0%

Inert matter (maximum)                                                                             2.0%                       2.0%

Other crop seeds (maximum)                                                                   None                        None

Weed seeds (maximum)                                                                           None                        None

Other distinguishable varieties (maximum)                                                  5/kg                        10/kg

Germination including hard seeds (minimum)                                              70%                         70%

Moisture (maximum)                                                                                  8.0%                       8.0%

For vapour-proof containers (maximum)                                                    5.0%                       5.0%