SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor L.) (Moench)

OPEN POLLINATED VARIETIES (Grain and dual-purpose)

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 open-pollinated varieties of sorghum.

II. Land requirements

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

III. Field Inspection

A minimum of three  inspections shall be made between the ear emergence and harvesting of the seed crop.

1. The first inspection shall be made before flowering in order to determine isolation, presence of volunteer plants and other relevant factors.

2. The second inspection shall be made during flowering to cheek isolation, offtypes,  and other relevant factors.

3.The third  inspection shall be made at maturity and prior to harvesting 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  of grain and

dual-purpose sorghum                                                                                      200            100

Fields of the same variety not conforming to the

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                        200            100

Johnson grass (Baru) (Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.)                                         400             400

Forage sorghum with high tillering and

grassy panicle                                                                                                   400             400

(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

  *Heads infected by kernel smut or grain smut                                            

    (Sphacelotheca sorghi (Link) Clinton) and Head smut

    (Sphacelotheca reiliana (Kuhn.) Clinton) at

    final inspection.                                                                                        0.050                    0.10

* Seed  fields can, however, be certified if diseased earheads are removed and burnt and the fields show, on re-inspection, infection not more than maximum permissible level.  Only one such re-inspection is permitted.

Note: Seed fields should be thoroughly rogued to remove plants infected by sugary disease (Sphacelia sorghi Mc Rae)/ergot (Claviceps spp.) so that the prescribed standards are met at seed stage.  However, the seed fields shall not be rejected on account of the presence of sugary/ergot infected heads.

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)                                                                   5/kg                         10/kg

Weed seeds (maximum)                                                                           5/kg                       10/kg

Other distinguishable varieties (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%