Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024
Section 61-8C-7 - General requirements7.1. Fields should be at least 400 feet from all potatoes not being grown for certification. Should the field be within 400 feet and such field or fields show more than ten percent (10%) virus diseases or five percent (5%) leaf roll, all portions of the field within 400 feet will be rejected.7.2. The field must not have been in potatoes for at least three (3) years.7.3. The fertility and care of the soil must be reasonably in accordance with the best established practices. The methods employed in handling the seed must be of a recognized high standard. The field must be kept in good culture, free from weeds and sprayed with recommended material and by approved methods. Should aphids be abundant it will be necessary to add nicotine sulphate to the sprays until they are under control. The digging and storing of the potatoes must not unduly injure the tubers and be accomplished by standard approved methods. The place and method of storage must be acceptable to the Commissioner.7.4. The grower must agree to supply one hundred five (105) tubers from the seed stock to be planted to the Commissioner for testing purposes. This sample of seed will be planted by the Commissioner or by a grower designated by him. The applicant must also agree to furnish two hundred ten (210) tubers from the field at digging time or at the time of the bin inspection. These two (2) samples will be selected by the inspector or under his directions. Samples from multiplication plots will be selected the previous fall in a similar manner as the selection of the sample from the certified fields.7.5. The seed used to plant a field to be certified must be approved by the Commissioner.7.6. Produced by the grower the previous year under conditions established and promulgated by the Commissioner for multiplication plots.7.7. Foundation stock purchased from growers in other states or Canada. For the first two (2) years an applicant has grown or attempted to grow certified seed, the Commissioner will approve the best seed stocks available but, the third year and years thereafter the field must be planted with foundation stock of a high character either produced by the grower or purchased.7.8. At the present time it appears West Virginia growers will have to grow their own foundation stock in multiplication plots. For this reason, an application for certifying a field of potatoes will not be accepted unless the grower agrees to plant and maintain a multiplication plot.7.9. Growers must realize their chances for having their fields approved are slim unless good seed stock is used to plant the field.