Section 001-252-5 - ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FOUNDATION SEED CLASSA.Total Farm Entered(1)Entry Requirements and Procedures if Fields are Rejected(a) All potato fields planted on a farm or farming operation using the same production equipment must be entered into the Maine Seed Potato Certification Program in order for any seed potatoes produced on such farm or operation to be eligible for the Foundation Seed Class.(b) Fields rejected during first or second field inspections must be inspected by the Department before harvest and found free from Bacterial Ring Rot in order to allow any of the remaining fields on the same farm or farming operation using the same production equipment to be eligible for Foundation Seed Class. B.Bacterial Ring Rot(1)Penalties if the Bacterial Ring Rot Pathogen is Found on a Foundation Class Farming Operation(a) All seed potatoes produced on a farm or farming operation using the same production equipment are ineligible as Foundation Seed Class if the Bacterial Ring Rot pathogen is confirmed in any field or laboratory sample submitted from the farm or farming operation.(b) Crop handling equipment may be used in more than one farming operation, provided that the machinery is thoroughly washed and disinfected between farming operations under the direction of a Seed Potato Inspector.(c) If the Bacterial Ring Rot pathogen is confirmed in a production unit involved in a separate farming operation, all seed potatoes produced in the other production unit(s) are ineligible as Foundation Seed Class. C.Spindle Tuber(1)Penalties if Spindle Tuber is Found on a Foundation Class Farming Operation(a) Any seed potato lot in which Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid has been detected cannot be sold as seed.(b) Any seed potato lot represented by a Post-Harvest Test sample in which Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid has been detected cannot be sold as seed. D.Freedom from VolunteersFields planted with Field Year 1, 2 and 3 Seed must be free of volunteer plants to be eligible for Foundation Seed Class.
E.Storage Requirements Foundation Seed Class potatoes must be stored and handled in a seed potato storage facility where all potatoes have been inspected and found free from Bacterial Ring Rot during the growing season.
F.Packing and Shipping RequirementsAny sanitary practices which the Inspector deems necessary during sizing or packing to avoid disease and contamination must be followed.
G. Recommended Production Practices(1)Blank Row Recommendation(a) All plots planted with different varieties of Field Year 1, 2 or 3 Seed should be separated from other potatoes and from each other by at least one blank row.(2)Production Recommendations(a) All acreage planted with Nuclear and Field Year 1, 2 or 3 Seed should be planted and harvested before other potato fields.(b) Tuber-Unit Planting is recommended when planting Nuclear or Field Year 1 Seed to ensure that rogueing can be completed effectively.(c) All cultural operations and spraying should be completed in plots planted with Nuclear or Field Year 1, 2 or 3 Seed before working in other fields to minimize spread of latent Mosaic.(d) Weeds, diseases and insects should be controlled using approved herbicides, fungicides and insecticides as recommended by the manufacturer as well as using them safely, effectively and timely.(e) The grower must notify his/her Inspector when herbicides or insecticides are applied to his/her seed potatoes.01-001 C.M.R. ch. 252, § 5