Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
I. Application of General Certification
Standards
A. The General Certification
Standards, Clemson University Regulation
27-190,
are basic and applicable and together with the following specific standards,
constitute the standards for certification of vegetatively propagated
turfgrasses.
B. The following
specific standards constitute the standards for certification of vegetatively
propagated warm season turf-grasses including bermuda, centipede, zoysia, St.
Augustine and seashore paspalum.
C.
The General Standards are modified as follows:
1. Foundation Turf-shall be the vegetative
increase of Breeder or Foundation turf.
2. *Registered Turf-shall be the vegetative
increase of Foundation turf.
3.
Certified Turf-shall be the vegetative increase of Foundation or Registered
turf.
4. Life of Stand: The life of
the stand will continue for all classes of vegetatively propagated turf grasses
as long as the varietal and mechanical purity for the class is maintained,
unless life of stand is more narrowly defined by the originator or sponsoring
agency.
*A grower of Registered turf may increase his acreage of
Registered turf from his own production provided the increase is adjacent and
planted on land under the control of the grower. The size of such increase is
not to exceed a total of ten (10) additional acres. The grower can increase
acreage by the equivalent number of original acres up to ten acres.
OR
Grower Application - Grower will submit application for
certified turfgrass by published dates on the application. Applications can be
obtained from the seed certification department or online. Payment will be
submitted with the application prior to processing by the department. A late
fee will apply after the application deadline. A map designating field
identification must be submitted with each application. Fields will not be
inspected without proper signage and maps. Those fields are subject to a
reinpsection fee.
II. Land Requirement.
A. A field to be eligible for the production
of Foundation, Registered or Certified turf must be free of all perennial
grasses and objectionable/noxious weeds. This requirement may be waived only
with the approval of the program manager.
B. A field for production of Foundation or
Registered sod shall be fumigated with a recommended soil fumigant.
C. No animal manures or other material
potentially containing seeds shall be applied on sod to be entered for
certification.
III.
Field Standards.
A. General requirements
1. Unit of Certification.
A field or portion of a field may be certified. A sign must be
posted in each field bearing the Kind, variety and field number year
round.
2. Isolation
requirements:
Plantings of vegetatively propagated turf grasses must be
isolated from any other variety and other perennial grasses by an artificial
barrier and/or strip at least six (6) feet wide to prevent mixing during the
growing season and harvesting operation.
B. Specific Requirements (maximum permitted).
|
Factor |
Foundation |
Registered |
Certified |
|
Off-Types* |
1/ 5 acres |
1/ 2 acre |
1/ acre |
|
Other Living plants ** |
50/ acre |
100/ acre |
200/ acre |
*Off-types shall consist of all other kinds and other varieties
than the variety being produced
If factor is found in excess of standards and area flagged by
inspector, roguing and/or eradication by spot spraying will be permitted to
bring turf within standards.
If field or partial field is rejected three consecutive
inspections due to genetic purity, the field will be subject to inspection
penalty fees until it is brought into conformity. If partial field is removed
from certification, a border strip must be installed promptly, prior to the
next inspection.
**Over-seeding with a non-persistent cool season grass is
acceptable and the production field may be sold as certified if the field
passed the last inspection.
IV. Turf Standards.
A. No noxious/objectionable weeds are
permitted. Objectionable weeds are perinnial sedges other than nutsedge (grass)
and Dicrondia spp.
B. A complete
record on the amount of certified turf sales will be maintained and made
available to the official certifying agency. The record will include (a) class
of certified turf sold (Foundation, Registered, or Certified), (b) Kind and
Variety, (c) field number, (d) date of harvest, (e) amount of turf shipped
(square feet, cubic feet, bushels, etc.).
V. Turfgrass Certificates.
A. An official certificate or label will
accompany each shipment of certified sprigs, sod or plugs, traceable to the map
required in III above and the date of digging must be indicated. Certificates
can be obtained for a fee from the Seed Certification Department or online
using the free provided application.
B. The tag shall show the number of square
yards of sod or cubic feet or bushels of sprigs.
C. Certified Turfgrass growers will elect an
authorized representative who is responsible for issuing turfgrass
certificates. The representative will attend a training once every two years
hosted by the Seed Certification Department. Authorized Representative will
follow the guidance outlined by the seed certification department to be certain
turfgrass certificates are correct and representative of certified
turfgrass.
D. When grass is shipped
in truck loads, one bag, block, or container of grass representing the lot
shall be properly tagged to accompany the shipment.
E. A complete record on the amount of
certified turf sales will be maintained and made available to the official
certifying agency. The record called the Producers Estimate, will include (a)
class of certified turf sold (Foundation, Registered, or Certified), (b) Kind
and Variety, (c) field number, (d) date of harvest, (e) amount of turf shipped
(square feet, cubic feet, bushels, etc.).
