MULTIPLIER ONION (POTATO ONION)

(Allium cepa var. aggregatum Don.)

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 multiplier onion.

B. The General Standards are amplified as follows to apply specifically to multiplier onion.

     All certified classes shall be produced from the bulbs (bulblets) whose source and 

identity may be assured and approved by the Certification Agency.

II. Land requirements

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

III. Field Inspection

        A minimum of two inspections shall be made as follows;

        1. the first inspection shall be made when plants are large enough to verify isolation, offtypes including 

            bolters and other relevant factors.

        2. the second inspection shall be made when leaves begin to fall and before lifting of bulbs to verify isolation,

            offtypes and other relevant factors.

IV. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

        Seed fields of multiplier onion shall be isolated from the contaminants shown in the column1of 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                                                                                   5                      5 

Fields of the same variety not conforming to 

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                      5                      5 

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

      Offtypes                                                                                               0.10                    0.20      

* Maximum permitted at final inspection.  

   Note: All offtype plants should be rogued out alongwith bulbs.                                                       

V. Seed  Standards

      1. The average diameter of each bulb shall not be less than 2cm 

      2. The seed material shall be reasonably clean, healthy and firm and shall conform to the varietal characteristics of the

           variety.  The bulblets not conforming to varietal characteristics shall not exceed 0.10% and 0.20% (by number) for

           Foundation and Certified seed classes respectively.

      3. Cut, bruised, cracked, immature or those damaged by insects, slugs or worms shall not exceed more than 2.0% (by weight).

      4. Maximum tolerance limit of bulblets showing visible symptoms caused by thediseases indicated in the

          Table below shall be as follows:

                                                                                                   Maximum permissible limits   

                        Diseases

                                                                                     Foundation                         Certified

Bacterial Brown rot:                                                         None                                None

(Pseudumonas aeruginosa(Schroeter) Migula)

Bacterial soft rot:                                                              None                                None

(Erwinia  carotovora (L.R.Jones)

Basal rot:

(Fusarium oxysporum f..cepae (Hanazwa)                         None                                None