S.C. Code Regs. § § 27-1004
Production of Seed (V).
Handling of Crop Prior to Inspection
Labeling (IX)
Samples of all labels used on tobacco seed containers must be approved by and on file with the Seed Certification Department.
A new plant bed must be used each year unless the bed is sterilized with a soil sterilant prior to seeding.
A field inspection shall be made during the blooming period.
A field or a portion of a field may be certified if the area to be certified is clearly defined. Precautions must be taken to prevent contamination from the portion not certified.
Where two or more varieties of the same type are grown side by side in the same field, four (4) border rows of each variety, between the two varieties, shall be allowed to bloom and set seed, but shall not be harvested for seed. Otherwise there shall be 150 feet between varieties of the same type. Isolation between varieties of different types shall be at least 1,320 feet except when protected from cross pollination by bagging or when all plants in the neighboring field are topped before blooming.
When producing hybrid tobacco seed of the same type when male fertile and male sterile varieties are grown side by side in the same field, four (4) border rows of the male sterile varieties adjacent to the male fertile varieties shall be allowed to bloom and set seed but shall not be harvested for seed except when the male fertile plants are to be used as the pollen parent on the adjacent male sterile plants. Otherwise, male sterile plants must be at least 150 feet from male fertile plants. Isolation between male sterile plants and male fertile plants of different types shall be at least 1320 feet, except when protected from cross pollination by bagging or when all plants in the neighboring fields are topped before blooming.
No seed bearing plants of off-types or other varieties or plants affected with mosaic and/or Ring-spot disease are permitted.
Standards for each class | |||
Factor | Foundation | Registered | Certified |
Pure Seed (minimum) .................... | N.S. | 98.00% | 98.00% |
Inert Matter (maximum) ................. | N.S. | 2.00% | 2.00% |
[FN*]Weed seeds (maximum) .............. | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
[FN**]Objectionable weed seed (maximum) | None | None | None |
Total other crop seeds (max.) .......... | 2/lb. | 4/lb. | 8/lb. |
[FN***]Other varieties (max.) .......... | 2/lb. | 4/lb. | 8/lb. |
[FN****]Other kinds .................... | 1/lb. | 1/lb. | 2/lb. |
[FN]Germination and hard seed | |||
(minimum) ............................ | N.S. | 80.00% | 80.00% |
[FN*] Total weed seed shall not exceed 10 per lb. | |||
[FN**] Objectionable weeds shall be S.C. noxious weeds and others designated by the Seed Certification Department. | |||
[FN***] Off-colored beans due to environmental factors shall not be considered other varieties. Other varieties shall be considered to include off-type seeds that can be differentiated from the variety that is being analyzed. | |||
[FN****] Corn, sunflower seed, maximum; Foundation - N.S.; Registered- None; and Certified - 1 per pound; Cowpea Seed, Maximum; Foundation and Registered | |||
- None; Certified - 1 per pound. The preceding cowpea standards apply for issuing certification tags. S.C. certified soybeans sampled by the S.C. Department of Agriculture (SCDA) or the Seed Certification Department after having been tagged must have the certification tags removed and all mention of certification eliminated on the bag if found containing any cowpeas in Foundation Seed, more than one cowpea per pound in Registered seed or more than two cowpeas per pound in Certified seed. N.S.--No Standards | |||
[FN] Germination for edible varieties may be lowered to 70.00%. | |||
S.C. Code Regs. § 27-1004