Seeds Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1400)

Application

46 This Part applies in respect of seed potatoes that are sold or advertised for sale in Canada, imported into Canada or exported from Canada.

46.1 [Repealed, SOR/2000-183, s. 40]

Classes of Seed Potatoes and Class Names

47 The following classes of seed potatoes are established, as listed, from the highest quality to the lowest:

• (a) Nuclear Stock;

• (b) Pre-Elite;

• (c) Elite I;

• (d) Elite II;

• (e) Elite III;

• (f) Elite IV;

• (g) Foundation; and

• (h) Certified.

Standards for Classes of Seed Potatoes

47.1 The standards for the classes of seed potatoes established in section 47 are those set out in sections 47.11 to 47.8.

Method of Inspection

47.101 The inspection of seed potatoes shall be made either visually or through laboratory tests or both.

Nuclear Stock

• 47.11 (1) Nuclear Stock seed potatoes shall be

  • (a) produced from potato tissue culture material that has been tested and found free of bacterial ring rot, PSTV and viruses;

  • (b) laboratory tested within 12 months before the completion of the multiplication process and found free of bacterial ring rot, PSTV and viruses;

  • (c) produced in an aseptic or protected environment;

  • (d) visibly free from varietal mixtures;

  • (e) free from pathogenic bacteria or viruses, saprophytic contamination or other symptoms of diseases that could affect the quality of the material; and

  • (f) if produced in a protected environment,

    • (i) inspected by an inspector at least once during the growing period, and

    • (ii) grown in a medium that has not been previously used.

• (2) Subject to paragraph 6(1)(d) of the Act, an inspector may ask a grower to provide records that contain the following information:

  • (a) the origin of each variety;

  • (b) the testing history of each variety;

  • (c) the pedigree of each variety; and

  • (d) evidence that subparagraph (1)(f)(ii) has been complied with.

• (3) Any material that is being produced as Nuclear Stock seed potatoes shall be removed without delay from an aseptic or protected environment if it tests positive for pathogenic bacterial or viral organisms or manifests signs or symptoms of saprophytic contamination.

• (4) A person who sells or transfers Nuclear Stock seed potatoes shall identify those seed potatoes with a seed potato tag or a certificate provided by an inspector that indicates that the seed potatoes are Nuclear Stock seed potatoes.

Pre-Elite

• 47.2 (1) Pre-Elite seed potatoes shall be

  • (a) produced from Nuclear Stock seed potatoes, from cuttings or plants that were produced in a protected environment or from tubers or selected clones, that were determined by laboratory tests to be free from any disease that could affect the quality of the seed;

  • (b) produced in a field where potatoes were not planted for the previous two years; and

  • (c) inspected by an inspector at least two times during the growing season.

• (2) Pre-Elite seed potatoes shall be given the status of field generation 1 if the crop is produced in the field for the first time.

• (3) The percentage of plants showing visible varietal mixture or visible symptoms of disease set out in column 1 of an item of the table to this section on the first inspection, any subsequent inspection and the final inspection shall not exceed the applicable percentages set out in columns 2 and 3 of that item.

  	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
  Item	Disease or Varietal Mixture	Percentage on First or any Subsequent Inspection	Percentage on Final Inspection
  1	PSTV	0	0
  2	Bacterial ring rot	0	0
  3	Total of all viruses	0	0
  4	Total of blackleg and wilts	0	0
  5	Varietal mixtures	0.1	0

Elite I

• 47.3 (1) Elite I seed potatoes shall be

  • (a) produced from Nuclear Stock or Pre-Elite seed potatoes; and

  • (b) inspected by an inspector at least two times during the growing season.

• (2) Elite I seed potatoes shall be given the status of field generation 2 if the crop is produced in the field for the second time.

• (3) The percentage of plants showing visible varietal mixture or visible symptoms of disease set out in column 1 of an item of the table to this section on the first inspection, any subsequent inspection and the final inspection shall not exceed the applicable percentages set out in columns 2 and 3 of that item.

  	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
  Item	Disease or Varietal Mixture	Percentage on First or any Subsequent Inspection	Percentage on Final Inspection
  1	PSTV	0	0
  2	Bacterial ring rot	0	0
  3	Total of all viruses	0.1	0
  4	Total of blackleg and wilts	0.1	0.1
  5	Varietal mixtures	0.1	0