PEARL MILLET (Bulrush Millet, Spiked Millet),

(Pennisetum americanum (L) Leek) Composites, Synthetics,

and Open-pollinated varieties

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 the seeds of pearl millet open-pollinated varieties.

II. Land requirements

Land to be used for seed production of pearl millet open-pollinated varieties  shall be free from volunteer plants.

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of three  inspections shall be made  as follows:

1. The first inspection shall be made before flowering preferably within 30 days  after planting to determine  isolation, volunteer plants, offtypes, downy mildew incidence and other relevant  factors.

 2. The second inspection shall be made during 50% flowering to cheek isolation, offtypes, downy mildew/green ear (Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) (Schroet) and other relevant factors.

3.The third  inspection shall be made at maturity and prior to harvesting in order to determine the incidence  of downy mildew/green ear disease, ergot, grain smut and to verify true nature of the plant and other relevant factors.

IV. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

Barley 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                                                                                     400            200

Fields of the same variety not conforming to the                                                

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                        400            200                        

(b) Differential blooming dates for modifying isolation distances are not permitted.

B. Specific requirements

        Factor                                                                                              Maximum permitted (%)*

                                                                                                                Foundation            Certified

      Offtypes  at any one inspection at

      and after flowering.                                                                               0.050                    0.10

  *Plants infected by downy mildew/green ear                                             0.050                    0.10

    (Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) Schroet)

    disease at any one inspection

   ** Ergotted earheads (Claviceps microcephala (Fr.)

        Tul.) at final inspection                                                                        0.020                    0.040

***Earheads infected by grain smut (Tolyposporium

      pencillariae Brefeld and T.Senegalense Speg.) at

        final inspection                                                                                    0.050                    0.10

* Complete stool shall be considered as one infected unit.

** Seed from such fields that have been reported to contain the ergot infection even within the prescribed limits at field stage shall be subjected to floatation treatment with brine to become eligible for certification.

*** Seed fields with incidence of grain smut more that the maximum permissible level can, however, be certified if such seed is treated  with an approved organo-mercurial fungicide not earlier than a month prior to its sowing.

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)                                                                   10/kg                      20/kg

Weed seeds  (maximum)                                                                          10/kg                      20/ kg

 Ergot (Claviceps spp.) sclerotia, seed entirely or partially

 modified as sclerotia, broken  sclerotia or ergotted seeds

 (Sphacelia sorghi Mc Rae & Claviceps spp.) (maximum)                        0.020%                    0.040%

                                                                                                             (by number)             (by number)

Germination (minimum)                                                                             75%                        75%

Moisture (maximum)                                                                                12.0%                     12.0%

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