Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
The production of blackberry nursery stock is an important
industry in Arkansas. Diseases such as rust, anthracnose, crown gall and
viruses, as well as pests such as cane borers and nematodes pose a threat to
the blackberry nursery industry. To prevent the spread of these problems by
nursery stock, the following certification regulations shall apply to the
production and sale of certified blackberry nursery stock in Arkansas.
I.
Definitions
Board means the Arkansas State Plant Board.
Blackberry means cultivated Rubus
species and related plants that are considered blackberry
botanically.
Cane cutting is a cane section of two or more
nodes or buds (length 4-6 inches) to be transplanted to produce a plant.
Crown is the persistent (perennial) base of the plant; the
junction between canes and roots (some varieties have buds that arise primarily
from the crown).
Director means the director of the State Plant
Board or his duly appointed representative.
Hardwood cutting is taken from a mature woody stem
for the purpose of propagation.
Indicator plant means any herbaceous or woody
plant used to index or determine virus infection.
Indexing is a procedure to determine virus or
other pathogen infection by inoculation from the plant to be tested to an
indicator plant (grafted onto plant to be tested) or by any other approved
method.
Mericlones are plants clonally propagated from a
single meristem tip.
Micropropagation is plant multiplication
in vitro. Blackberry is propagated in tissue culture by
aseptic transfer of meristem tip cultures to produce Nuclear stocks.
Nodal cutting is a cane cutting with a single node
to produce a plant.
One-year-old plants means well rooted plants that
have developed during one growing season.
Primocane (succulent plants) is the current
season's growth that develops from root or basal crown buds.
Root cuttings is a root section with one or more
buds.
Softwood cutting is taken from a green, immature,
actively growing stem of a woody plant during spring or early summer for the
purpose of propagation.
Succulent plant means a small, actively growing
plant that is developing from root buds, not having passed through a dormant
period.
Virus infected (affected) means presence of a
virus (es) or yellows disease agent in a plant or plant part. The word "virus"
shall be used hereafter to include yellows disease.
Virus-like means a disorder of genetic or non transmissible
origin, or a graft-transmissible disorder resembling a virus disease, including
but not limited to diseases caused by viroids and phytoplasmas
II.
Certifying agency issuance of
certificate
A. The issuance of a
certified state of Arkansas plant tag or stamp under this chapter affirms
solely that the tagged or stamped blackberry stock has been subjected to
certification standards and procedures by the department. The Board disclaims
all expressed or implied warranties, including without limitation, implied
warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose, regarding all
plants, and plant materials under this chapter.
B. The Board is not responsible for disease,
genetic disorder, off-type, failure of performance, mislabeling, or otherwise,
in connection with this chapter. No grower, nursery dealer, government
official, or other person is authorized to give any expressed or implied
warranty, or to accept financial responsibility on behalf of the Plant Board
regarding this chapter.
C.
Participation in the blackberry planting stock certification program is
voluntary.
III.
Blackberry certification standards The following specific rules
constitute the requirements and standards for classes and sources of blackberry
certified stock:
Nuclear stock shall be derived from plants that
have been micropropagated, indexed, apparently free from other pests, and
evaluated in field tests for trueness-to-variety. Nuclear stock may exist as
in-vitro tissue culture plantlets or potted plants in a
screened greenhouse. Sources of plants grown as nuclear stock must be approved
by the State Plant Board.
Foundation stock is produced from Nuclear stock
and grown in a greenhouse or screenhouse to exclude insects.
Registered stock is produced from Foundation
stock in greenhouse, screenhouse, or field.
Certified stock is produced from Registered stock
in greenhouse, screenhouse, or field.
IV.
Requirements for the production of
foundation, registered and certified blackberry stock
A.
Facilities (greenhouse,
screenhouse, water, equipment, etc.) for plant production must be approved by
the Board before Foundation stock is procured by the producer.
B.
Foundation stock
1. Foundation plants may be maintained
indefinitely if grown in an insect-proof facility (greenhouse), in sanitized
substrate, and indexed every three years by the United States Department of
Agriculture or other personnel approved by the Board.
2. Growers may use micro-propagation
techniques to multiply foundation plants prior to planting in a foundation
greenhouse provided the micro-propagated plants are isolated from other
non-indexed blackberry plants, and the micro-propagation facilities are
approved by the Board.
3. In
greenhouse or screenhouse, Foundation plants shall be produced in separate
sanitized containers with labeling of cultivar name and lot number (if
applicable).
4. Non-certified
Rubus species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of
the perimeter of the greenhouse. Weeds that host disease of major concern must
be controlled within 152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the greenhouse.
Insects that vector diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation
areas.
5. Non-certified
Rubus species must not exist within the greenhouse or
screenhouse.
6. Blossoms shall be
removed before the blossoms open.
C.
Registered stock
1. Registered plants may be maintained
indefinitely if grown in an insect-proof facility (greenhouse), in sanitized
substrate, and indexed every three years.
2. In greenhouse or screenhouse, Registered
plants shall be produced in separate sanitized containers with labeling of
cultivar name and lot number (if applicable).
3. Non-certified Rubus
species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the
greenhouse. Weeds that host disease of major concern must be controlled within
152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the greenhouse. Insects that vector
diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation area.
4. Non-certified Rubus
species must not exist within the greenhouse or screenhouse.
5. For field production, soil treatment is
required with an approved method (ex. solid soil fumigation with methyl bromide
+ chloropicrin). Weeds that host diseases of major concern will be controlled.
Insects that vector diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation
area.
6. Non-certified
Rubus species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of
the perimeter of the field used to produce certified blackberry stock. Each lot
and/or different cultivars are labeled and separated by a distance of 4.25
meters (14 feet) or a physical barrier that prevents intermingling of
roots.
7. Field produced Registered
stock shall not be harvested beyond one year.
8. Blossoms shall be removed before the
blossoms open.
C.
Certified stock
1. Certified
plants may be maintained indefinitely if grown in an insect-proof facility
(greenhouse), in sanitized substrate, and indexed every three years.
2. In greenhouse or screenhouse, Certified
plants shall be produced in separate sanitized containers with labeling of
cultivar name and lot number (if applicable).
3. Non-certified Rubus
species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the
greenhouse. Weeds that host disease of major concern must be controlled within
152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the greenhouse. Insects that vector
diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation area.
4. Non-certified Rubus
species must not exist within the greenhouse or screenhouse.
5. For field production, soil treatment is
required with an approved method (ex. solid soil fumigation with methyl bromide
+ chloropicrin). Weeds that host diseases of major concern will be controlled.
Insects that vector diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation
area.
6. Non-certified
Rubus species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of
the perimeter of the field used to produce certified blackberry stock. Each lot
and/or different cultivars are labeled and separated by a distance of 4.25
meters (14 feet) or a physical barrier that prevents intermingling of
roots.
7. Field-produced Certified
stock shall not be harvested beyond one year.
8. Blossoms shall be removed before blossoms
open.
D. Documentation
of soil treatments and use of plant protectants shall be made available to the
Board.
E. A map identifying
cultivars and lots must be provided to the Board.
V.
Inspections
A.
Greenhouse/Screenhouse
1. Grower will regularly inspect plants. All
plants that are symptomatic of disease will be removed and destroyed. The
grower will keep a logbook recording cultivar and number of destroyed plants
and make it available to Board inspectors.
2. Grower will inspect in and around the
greenhouse perimeters to ensure isolation standards are being met.
3. Board inspectors must inspect and approve
any greenhouse that has not been used for successful production of indexed
blackberry plants.
4. During the
production of certified plants, Board inspectors will do at least one
inspection during the growing period when plants are likely to express symptoms
of virus infection,
crown and cane gall infections and other disorders. The Board
may conduct additional inspections if deemed necessary.
5. All plants that are of off-types, crown
gall infected, virus infected, or exhibiting virus-like symptoms during
inspections will be flagged by Board inspectors.
6. Grower will remove all flagged plants
immediately after inspection by the Board inspector. Effective roguing
techniques must include removing the undesirable plant and all of its
roots.
B.
Field
1. The grower should
inspect fields regularly during the growing season and rogue all plants with
symptoms of disease, etc. The Board should be informed if any problems are
found.
2. The Board inspector will
perform three inspections of fields for certified plant production;
1) first inspection during April,
2) second inspection during July,
3) third inspection during October.
Additional inspections may be performed if deemed necessary.
3. All plants that are of
off-types, crown gall infected, virus infected, or exhibiting virus-like
symptoms during inspections will be flagged by Board inspectors.
4. Grower will remove all flagged plants
immediately after inspection by the Board inspector. Effective roguing
techniques must include removing the undesirable plant and all of its roots as
well as all the plants and plant parts within ten feet of the undesirable
plant.
VI.
Inspection standards
A.
Greenhouse, General Requirements
1. Unit of certification shall be the entire
greenhouse.
2. Isolation:
Non-certified Rubus species must not exist within the
greenhouse. Non-certified Rubus species must not exist within
152 meters (500 feet) of the perimeter of the greenhouse. Weeds that host
disease of major concern must be controlled within 152 meters (500 ft) of the
perimeter of the greenhouse. Insects that vector diseases of major concern
should be controlled in isolation area.
B.
Field, General Requirements
1. Unit of certification shall be the field
or a portion of field. Any portion of the field that does not meet inspection
standards may be delimited if it will not jeopardize the remainder of the
field.
2. Isolation: Non-certified
Rubus species must not exist within 152 meters (500 feet) of
the certified plants. Weeds that host diseases of major concern must be
controlled within 152 meters (500 feet) of the certified plants. Insects that
vector diseases of major concern should be controlled in isolation
area.
C.
Specific
Greenhouse and Field Tolerance, maximum % of factor
|
Factor
|
Foundation Stock
|
Registered Stock
|
Certified Stock
|
|
Anthracnose
|
0
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
|
Crown and cane gall
|
0
|
0.1
|
1.0
|
|
Nematodes
|
0
|
0.05
|
0.1
|
|
Rust, systemic
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Virus diseases
|
0
|
0.05
|
0.5
|
|
Other diseases
|
0
|
0.2
|
0.5
|
|
Varietal mixture
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Root, cane or crown inhabiting insects
|
0
|
0.05
|
0.1
|
VII.
General requirements for
plants
A. Growers may sell Foundation,
Registered or Certified stock as certified plants.
B. An official certificate will accompany
each sale of certified Blackberry plants or stock. This certificate will list
the viruses indexed and other details. Each container/plant will be labeled
with variety and certification information.
C. A complete record of the number of
certified Blackberry plant/stock sales will be maintained and made available to
the official certifying agency. The record will include (a) class, (b)
cultivar, (c) date of shipment, (d) number of plants or stock
shipped.
D. General Inspection
Standards for Plants:
1. Apparently free of
biotic and abiotic diseases, insects, and other pests.
2. True-to-variety characteristics.
3. Good leaf color and plant size.
4. Satisfactory plant size to meet the
expectations of the customer.
5.
Plants will not be shipped with non-certified plants.
VIII.
Blackberry
certification fees
A. Blackberry
certification application fee. Applicant will be required to obtain a valid
Nurserymans license and pay the required fees as prescribed for the Nurseryman
category. The blackberry certification application and fee is in
addition to the Nurseryman fee. The certification fee is assessed
for the sole purpose of defraying expenses incurred in the additional
inspection and certification requirements protocol. The applicant must furnish
all information requested on the Application for Inspection Form and must allow
the inspector to take samples of plants or plant parts from any certified
planting for inspection and testing purposes. A separate application is
required and a $50.00 fee shall be paid for each cultivar/variety unit entered
for certification. Each lot or field of each cultivator shall be listed
separately on the application. Application for certification inspection for the
following year must be filed with the Arkansas State Plant Board, Post Office
Box 1069, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 by Oct.31, accompanied by
the appropriate fees.
B. A grower
desiring to produce certified blackberry plants as herein provided shall
establish with the Board facts evidencing sufficient experience to produce
healthy, high quality stock.
C. The
Board will remove any applicant failing to renew certification by the
designated due date of the certification program. Failure to pay fees by the
designated due date shall also result in removing the applicant from the
certification program.
D. The Board
will not accept applications from growers owing the Board for previous
services.
IX.
Certified planting stock pre-marketing, identification and grade
A. All blackberry planting stock meeting the
requirements of this chapter can be identified by the State Plant Board tag or
stamp issued under by the Board.
B.
All containers must be new and marked with the name and address of the grower,
class of certified stock, variety and lot number.
C. The quality and grading of the stock is
the responsibility of the grower.
X.
Blackberry tagging or stamping and
plant inspection
A. "Certified" stock
shall be identified with the state of Arkansas official certified blackberry
plant tag or stamp under the supervision of the Board after plants have passed
inspection.
B. Only plants meeting
Arkansas standards for blackberry plants shall be tagged or stamped.
C. All containers shall be marked with the
name and address of the grower, grade or class of stock, and variety.
XI.
Application of
regulations This certification program is strictly voluntary and these
regulations shall apply in addition to and do not replace any regulations
covering nursery stock now in effect as covered by Plant Board Circular 11,
"Regulations on Plant Diseases and Pests", nor do they replace or supersede any
requirement of the Arkansas Plant Act of 1917, A.C.A.
2-16-201 thru 214 or the
Arkansas Nursery Fraud Act of 1919, A.C.A.
2-21-101 thru
113.
