La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § XIII-715

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XIII-715 - California Bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus) Clonally Propagated Plant Certification Standards (Formerly Section 171)

A. LDAF shall issue numbered certified bulk sales certificates or tags when requested to do so by a grower who has met the requirements and standards set forth in this Section. The numbered certified certificates or tags shall accompany each shipment of certified vegetatively propagated stock.

B. DNA Fingerprinting Requirements

1. DNA fingerprinting samples shall be taken by LDAF and submitted to an LDAF approved laboratory for testing in accordance with the following guidelines:

a. Foundation Class

i. Fingerprinting is required within one year of transplant and every other year thereafter.

ii. Ponds - one sample/1000 sq. ft., with a minimum of five samples per pond.

iii. Containers - 10 percent, with a minimum of five samples.

b. Registered Class

i. Fingerprinting is required within one year of transplant and every three years thereafter.

ii. Ponds - one sample/1000 sq. ft., with a minimum of five samples per pond.

iii. Containers - 5 percent, with a minimum of five samples.

c. Certified Class - certified class is not required to be DNA fingerprinted.

2. LDAF shall have the right to re-inspect, re-sample and re-test production ponds or containers/tanks that are out-of-tolerance for DNA fingerprinting prior to final certification. Resampling of plots or containers/tanks that are out-of-tolerance for DNA fingerprinting shall be at the request of the producer.

3. Additional DNA fingerprinting samples shall be required of a certified grower when the integrity of the genetic purity of a production plot or container/tank has been jeopardized by any means prior to final certification.

C. Production Requirements. To be eligible for the production of all certified classes, production ponds and containers/tanks shall be left undisturbed for a minimum of four weeks prior to planting, and found to be free of California bulrush and noxious and objectionable weeds.

1. Pond Requirements

a. Ponds shall be contained by levees.

b. Only one variety shall be grown per pond.

c. Ponds of different varieties must be separated by the minimum isolation distance at all points.

d. Ponds must have individual water supplies and water drainage capabilities for each produced variety.

e. All seed heads shall be routinely removed from plants after flowering begins to ensure viable seed are not produced.

2. Container/Tank Requirements

a. Soil used for container/tank production shall:

i. come from an area that has not produced california bulrush for a minimum of one year; and

ii. be free of visible california bulrush rhizomes and stems prior to transplanting.

b. Only one variety shall be grown per container/tank.

c. Different varieties shall be grown in separate tanks and shall have individual water supplies and drainage capabilities.

d. All seed heads shall be routinely removed from plants after flowering begins to ensure viable seed are not produced.

D. Grower Inspections

1. Ponds and containers shall be inspected by grower to ensure that all requirements of this Section are being met.

E. LDAF Inspections. Production ponds and containers/tanks shall be made accessible for inspection by the grower.

1. Ponds and containers/tanks shall be inspected by LDAF within four weeks prior to transplanting to ensure ponds and containers/tanks are free of volunteer california bulrush plants and noxious and objectionable weeds. All ponds and containers/tanks shall be non-flooded at time of pre-plant inspection.

2. Ponds and containers/tanks shall be inspected by LDAF a minimum of once a year, after transplanting, to ensure that all requirements of this Section are being met.

3. Additional inspections may be performed at the discretion of LDAF at any time without prior notice.

F. Field Standards Production Ponds/Containers/Tanks

Factor	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Maximum Unit Life⁽¹⁾	4 years	6 years	Unlimited
Land Requirements	1 year	1 year	1 year
Isolation:
Pond Production	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.
Tank Production	One variety per tank	One variety per tank	One variety per tank
Container Production	Different varieties must be separated and clearly identified	Different varieties must be separated and clearly identified	Different varieties must be separated and clearly identified
Plant Variants:
Fingerprints	1%	2%	Not Applicable
Visual Inspections	3 plants per 5,400 ft²	5 plants per 5,400 ft²	10 plants per 5,400ft²
Harmful Diseases⁽²⁾	None	None	None
Noxious or Objectionable Weeds⁽³⁾	None	None	[LESS THAN EQUAL TO] 5 plants per 5,400 ft²
Other Crops⁽⁴⁾	None	None	[LESS THAN EQUAL TO] 5 plants per 5,400 ft²

(1) Production unit life from date of transplant. No maximum age for a certified class production unit so long as the unit continues to meet all requirements of this Section.

(2) Diseases determined in accordance with the Louisiana Ag Experimental Station and LDAF to seriously affect the quality of seed or vegetatively propagated stock.

(3) Including, but not limited to following weed species: Cyperus spp. (Sedge), Eleocharisspp. (Spikerush), Phragmitesaustralis (Roseau cane), Typhaspp. (Cattail).

(4) Including, but not limited to the following crop species: Spartinaalterniflora (Smooth cordgrass), Spartinapatens (Marshhay cordgrass), Spartinacynosuroides (Big cordgrass), Spartinaspartinae (Gulf cordgrass), Distichlisspicata (Saltgrass), Paspalumvaginatum (Seashore paspalum).

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § XIII-715

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Seed Commission, LR 37:2980 (October 2011), LR 39:1759 (July 2013), repromulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Chemistry and Seed Commission, LR 39:2717 (October 2013), amended LR 40:751 (April 2014).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:1433.