MAIZE (Zea mays L.) INBRED LINES

I. Application and Amplification of General Seed Certification Standards

A. The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and together with the following specific standards constitute the standards for certification of the seeds of maize inbred lines.

B. The general standards are amplified as follows to apply specifically to the inbred lines of maize.

1. Eligibility requirements for certification

An inbred line to be eligible for certification must be from a source such that its identity may be assured and approved by the Certification Agency.

2. Classes and sources of seed

An inbred line must be a relatively true breeding strain.

3. Seed house or bin inspection

The inbred lines shall be ear-inspected after maturity by the Certification agency.

II. Land requirements

Land to be used for inbred line increase of maize shall be free from volunteer plants.

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of four inspections shall be made in such a way that one is done before flowering and the remaining three during flowering.

IV. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

(a) Seed fields shall be isolated from the contaminants shown in the column 1 of the Table below by the distances specified in column 2 of the said Table:

        Contaminants                                                                                   Minimum distance (meters)

            1                                                                                                                 2                   

Fields of any maize with same kernel

colour and texture                                                                                                  400

Fields of any maize with different kernel

colour and texture                                                                                                  600

Fields of same inbred line not conforming

to varietal purity requirements for certification                                                         400

(b) Differential blooming dates will be permitted for modifying isolation distances with any type of maize provided 5.0 % or more of the plants in the seed parent do not have receptive silks when more than 0.20 % of plants in the adjacent field(s) within the prescribed isolation distance are shedding pollen. 

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

  **Offtype plants that have shed or shedding

  pollen when 5.0 % or more of the plants in the

  seed field have apparently receptive silks                                                            0.20

* Maximum permitted at any one inspection conducted during flowering.

** Sucker tassels, portions of tassels, and tassels on main plants will be counted as shedding pollen only when two inches or more of the centre spike, the side branches, or a combination of the two have the anthers exserted from the glumes and are shedding pollen.

V. Seed standards

A. Seed ears inspected after harvest shall not contain in excess of 0.20 % offtype ears including ears with off-coloured kernels.

        Factor                                                                                                    Standard

Pure seed (minimum)                                                                                         98.0%

Inert matter (maximum)                                                                                        2.0%

Other crop seeds (maximum)                                                                               5/kg

Other distinguishable varieties based on

kernel colour and texture (maximum)                                                                    5/kg

Weed seeds (maximum)                                                                                       5/kg

Germination (minimum)                                                                                        80%

Moisture (maximum)                                                                                            12.0%

For vapour-proof containers (maximum)                                                                8.0%

B. Shelling

Shelling of the seed ears will be made only after obtaining approval from the Certification agency.