GUINEA GRASS (Panicum maximum Jacq.)

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 Guinea grass seed.

II. Land requirements

A. Foundation seed

A Seed crop of Guinea grass shall not be eligible for certification if planted on land on which the same kind of crop was grown within the previous five crop seasons.

B. Certified seed

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

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of  three inspections shall be made, the first before flowering, the second during flowering and third at maturity and prior to 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 of the same species                                                    20                   10

Fields of the same variety not conforming to 

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                      20                   10

Fields of another Panicum spp. known to cross or                                         

suspected of being able to cross                                                                    200                 100

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

       Offtypes                                                                                               0.10                      1.0 

 *  Maximum permitted at and after flowering.

V. Seed standards

        Factor                                                                                              Standards for each class

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

Pure seed (minimum)                                                                                 80.0%                  80.0%

Inert matter (maximum)                                                                             20.0%                  20.0%

Other crop seeds (maximum)                                                                    20/ kg                   40 / kg

Weed seeds (maximum)                                                                            20/ kg                   40 / kg

Germination  (minimum)                                                                             20 %                     20 %

Moisture (maximum)                                                                                 10.0%                   10.0%

For vapour-proof containers (maximum)                                                    8.0%                     8.0%