Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF
Title 25 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY
Chapter 7 - NEBRASKA SEED LAW REGULATIONS
Section 25-7-005 - Time Period for Germination Tests

Universal Citation: 25 NE Admin Rules and Regs ch 7 ยง 005

Current through March 20, 2024

005.01 New germination tests on seed described in section 81-2, 147.02(5)(l) of the Nebraska Seed Law shall be tested each fifteen months. All other new germination tests on agricultural, vegetable, or flower seed shall be obtained on carry-over seed each nine months, except for those seeds as listed in 005.02 which shall be tested each twelve months, and hermetically sealed seed which shall be retested for germination after thirty-six months. For purpose of enforcement of this regulation, the date of the germination test on the label or tag shall be binding upon any person in possession of agricultural or vegetable seed. Following retesting, all seed shall be relabeled to reflect the new germination tests of the seed. The following information shall appear on a label for relabeling seeds in their original containers:

(a) the calendar month and year the test was completed to determine such percentage;

(b) the same lot designation as on the original labels;

(c) the identity of the labeling person if such person is different from the original labeler.

005.02 The following kinds of agricultural seed may be sold within a 12-month period, exclusive of the calendar month in which the germination test was completed as prescribed in section 81-2,147.02(1) (a) ;

Bluestem, Big

Sandreed, Prairie

Bluestem, Little

Switchgrass

Bluestem, Sand

Timothy

Bluestem, Yellow

Wheatgrass, Beardless

Buffalograss

Wheatgrass, Crested

Brome, Smooth

Wheatgrass, Intermediate

Dropseed, Sand

Wheatgrass, Pubescent

Grama, Blue

Wheatgrass, Slender

Grama, Sideoats

Wheatgrass, Streambank

Indiangrass

Wheatgrass, Tall

Lovegrass, Sand

Wheatgrass, Thickspike

Needlegrass, Green

Wheatgrass, Western

Orchardgrass

Wildrye, Canada

005.03 For agricultural and vegetable seeds labeled, packaged, and sold in hermetically sealed containers, the 9-month or 12-month limitation of date of test in section 81-2,147.03(1) (a) is extended. The germination test for agricultural and vegetable seeds labeled, packaged, and sold in hermetically sealed containers shall have been completed within a 36-month period exclusive of the calendar month in which the test was completed, if the following conditions are met:

005.03A The seed was packaged within nine months after harvest;

005.03B The container used does not allow water vapor penetration through any wall, including the seals, greater than 0.05 grains of water per 24 hours per 100 square inches of surface at 100 degrees F. with a relative humidity on one side of 90 percent and one the other side of 0.00 percent. Water vapor penetration or WVP is measured by the standards of the National Institute of Standards and Technology as:

WVP = gm. H2O/24 hr/100 sq. in/100°F/90% RH V.0% RH

005.03C The seed in the container used does not exceed the percentage of moisture, on a wet weight basis, as listed below:
005.03C(1) Agricultural Seeds.

Kind

Percent

Beet, field

7.5

Beet, sugar

7.5

Bluegrass, Kentucky

6.0

Clover, crimson

8.0

Fescue, red

8.0

Ryegrass, annual

8.0

Ryegrass, perennial

8.0

All others

6.0

Mixtures of the above

8.0

005.03C(2) Vegetable Seeds.

Kind

Percent

Bean, garden

7.0

Bean, lima

7.0

Beet

7.5

Broccoli

5.0

Brussell Sprouts

5.0

Cabbage

5.0

Carrot

7.0

Cauliflower

5.0

Celeriac

7.0

Celery

7.0

Chard, Swiss

7.5

Chinese Cabbage

5.0

Chives

6.5

Collards

5.0

Corn, sweet

8.0

Cucumber

6.0

Eggplant

6.0

Kale

5.0

Kohlrabi

5.0

Leek

6.5

Lettuce

5.5

Muskmelon

6.0

Mustard, India

5.0

Onion

6.5

Onion, Welsh

6.5

Parsley

6.5

Parsnip

6.0

Pea

7.0

Pepper

4.5

Pumpkin

6.0

Radish

5.0

Rutabaga

5.0

Spinach

8.0

Squash

6.0

Tomato

5.5

Turnip

5.0

Watermelon

6.5

All others

6.0

005.03D The container is conspicuously labeled in not less than eight-point type to indicate:
005.03D(1) That the seed is hermetically sealed;

005.03D(2) That the seed has been preconditioned as to moisture content; and

005.03D(3) The calendar month and year in which the germination test was completed as well as all labeling information required in section 81-2,147.02 of the Nebraska Seed Law,

005.03E The percentage of germination of seed at the time of packaging was equal to or above the standards specified elsewhere in the law;

005.03F Adequate records are kept, giving the percent moisture of the seed at the time of packaging; and

005.03G Hermetically sealed seed is not repackaged and relabeled as hermetically sealed seed unless it meets all conditions for seeds packaged in hermetically sealed containers including 005.03A above.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Nebraska may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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