Pakistan Fruit Plants Certification Rules, 1998

THE GAZETTE OF PAKISTAN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY ISLAMABAD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1998 Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Islamabad Islamabad, the 21st February, 1998 S.R.O. 123 (I)/98.- In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 29 of the Seed Act, 1976 (XXIX of 1976), the Federal Government is pleased to make the following rules, namely: 1. Short title and commencement.- (1) These rules may be called the Pakistan Fruit Plants Certification Rules, 1998. (2) They shall come into force at once. 2. Definitions.- In these rules, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context. (a) “certified fruit tree seed” means the seed produced on registered seed trees; (b) “certified nursery plants” means nursery grown seedlings, clonal rootstocks or otherwise originating from registered trees and nursery grown trees propagated by using scion from registered trees and rootstock originating from registered trees; (c) “clonal rootstock block” means a clonal planting of self-rooted registered trees for the specific purpose of producing vegetatively propagated rootstock used in the propagation of certified nursery plants; (d) “foundation block” means planting of fruit trees to be established at research institutes or universities and certified to serve as primary source of propagating materials; (e) “index” means the process to determine virus infection by means of inoculation from the plant to be tested to an indicator plant or by any other methods; (f) “indicator plant” means any herbaceous or woody plant used to index or determine virus infection; (g) “multiplication block” means a planting (progeny garden) originated from a foundation block and includes scion block, seed block and rootstock clonal plantings; (h) “nursery” means any grounds or premises on which nursery plants are propagated, grown or procured for resale and held for sale throughout the year; (i) “off-type” means not true to type; (j) “planting” means a progeny garden; (k) “registered tree” means a registration number which has been assigned by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration 2 Department to a tree or clonal planting and has been inspected and tested in accordance with these rules; (l) “registered variety” means a variety of scion or rootstock registered by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department; (m) “scion block” means a planting of registered trees which serves as a source of scion wood for the propagation of certified nursery plants; (n) “seed block” means a planting of registered fruit trees which serves as a source of seed for producing rootstock used in the propagating of certified nursery plants; (o) “virus infected” means presence of harmful virus in a plant; and (p) “virus-like” means a disorder transmissible like a virus but not virus including viroids, mycoplasma and phloem limited bacteria, etc. 3. Application and fees.- (1) A nursery desirous of being registered with the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department shall apply on the Form No. H-01 and the department, after scrutiny of the application form and verification of facts contained therein, shall register the nursery and allot a registration number in Form No.02. (2) The applicant shall furnish to the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department all information relevant to the operation of the certification programme in the Form No. H-03. The application for certification of nursery plants shall be submitted to the department by a specific date to be announced by the department for each fruit crop or variety. 4. Pre-basic class (Foundation Block).-A planting of fruit trees to be established at research institutes or universities and trees of such planting shall be certified and serve as a primary source of propagating materials. 5. Basic class (Multiplication block).- A planting (progeny garden) originated from a pre-basic source shall include scion and rootstock blocks and seed beds, etc. They shall be established at registered nurseries or at suitable places so declared by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. 6. Certified cases (Nursery Plants).- A nursery grown seedlings, clonal root-stocks and nursery grown trees propagated by using scion from registered trees and rootstock originating from registered trees. 7. Registration.- (1) Fruit trees shall be registered as rootstock and scion sources for the purpose of providing seed and propagating materials for certified nursery plants when inspected, tested and found to be true to type and discernible free from virus, pest and diseases as specified by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. (2) Subject to sub-rue (3) public and private nurseries shall be registered by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department for the production of certified nursery plants. 3 (3) The certification shall be based solely on visual inspections of sample plants of each variety in a planting or nursery which are found not exceeding the percentages in the laid down standards. 8. Requirements.- The applicants shall be responsible for: (i) selection of the location and proper maintenance of registered planting being grown; (ii) maintaining the identity of all nursery plants entered in the system in a manner approved by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. (iii) any planting material entered in this system shall be kept in a good husbandry conditions and free of plant pests; (iv) ensuring that there is no budding grafting, or top working of registered trees in any scion block, seed block or clonal rootstock block; (v) once Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department notifies virus on virus like diseases or off type plants, for removing and destroying the same immediately; (vi) in case of other pests and diseases, to get the plants treated as required by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department; and (vii) acquiring knowledge of the sources, varieties and propagation techniques of willing to undergo a training course or hire a trained person. 9. Scion block, its location and acceptability.- (1) A scion block shall be maintained and kept clean and suitably isolated. (2) Registered scion-block trees shall be planted and maintained in a manner and at sufficient distance that branches of different varieties do not overlap. (3) Each tree shall bear a permanent registration number to be allotted by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. (4) The rootstock and scion sources of the scion block trees shall have originated from foundation trees established under the system. (5) Only registered trees shall be permitted in the scion block. (6) Existing scion block that index clean on the commonly used virus indicator plants or otherwise shall qualify as registered. 10. Seed block, its location and acceptability.- (1) A seed block shall be maintained and kept clean and suitably isolated. (2) Each tree shall bear a permanent registration number so designated by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. 4 (3) The rootstock and scion sources of the seed trees shall have originated from foundation trees established under the system. (4) Only registered trees shall be permitted in the seed block. 11. Clonal rootstock block, its location and acceptability.-(1) A clonal rootstock block shall be maintained and kept clean and suitably isolated. (2) The trees in the clonal rootstock block that index clean on the commonly used virus indicator plants or otherwise shall qualify as registered trees. New clonal rootstock block shall have originated from foundation block established under the system. (3) only registered trees so designated by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department shall be permitted in the clonal rootstock block. 12. Nursery plants, rootstock and location.- (1) All fruit plants being grown for certification shall be on rootstock from registered tree. (2) Clonal rootstock used in the production of certified nursery plants shall originate from registered rootstock produced from registered trees. (3) Nursery plants being grown for certification shall be suitably isolated to maintain its identify and shall be kept clean. (4) Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department shall designate rootstock and scion. (5) There shall be no rebudding or regrafting of nursery row plants unless such plants are reworked with budwood from the same registered scion trees. 13. Seeds.- Certified seed shall be produced on registered seed trees only. 14. Inspection and testing.- Inspection and testing shall be carried out by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department in the manner and time as determined suitable. 15. Inspection of nursery plants for certification.- (1) At least one inspection shall be made of the nursery plants in a planting or nursery offered for certification during the first growing season. (2) Off-type and otherwise undesirable rootstock shall be rouged out before propagation. (3) After budding or grafting of nursery plants, at least two inspections shall be made during the growing season. 5 16. Issue of certificate.- The department shall issue a certificate on Form No.04 to the applicant when all necessary requirements for certification have been met. 17. Tagging.- (1) A tag issued by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department shall designate trees produced from registered scion source trees which have been propagated on rootstock produced from a registered source. (2) All certified nursery plants meeting the requirement of the system when sold shall have the following information, namely: (a) Name of the nursery: (b) Crop; (c) Variety; (d) Rootstock; (e) Year of production; and (f) Date of expiry. (3) Re-tagging shall be requested by the nurseryman after the expiry date. (4) Colour coding of the variety (scion) and the rootstock of the nursery plants may be carried out by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. 18. Penalties.- Whoever contravenes any provision of these rules, or prevents Seed Certification Officer, Seed Inspector or any official from exercising any power conferred upon him shall be punishable. (a) for the first offence, with fine out exceeding one thousand rupees; (b) where the offence continues after conviction, with a further fine of one hundred rupees for each day during which the offence continues; and (c) for a subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both. Form No.H. 01 [See Rule 3(1)] GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FEDERAL SEED CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF NURSERY To 6 1. Name of Nursery 2. Address. 3. Telephone No. 4. Owner’s Name. 5. Location. 6. Area (Total No. of acres). 7. Kind of fruit trees and Plants grown. 8. Fees submitted with the application. I understand and agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. Signature of the applicant/Nurseryman. 7 Form No.H. 02 [See Rule 3(1)] GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FEDERAL SEED CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT REGISTRATION OF NURSERY To 1. Name of Nursery 2. Date of application. 3. Fees deposited. Rs. 4. Location of Nursery. 5. Area of Nursery 6. Validity. 7. Renewal required 8. Registration No. allotted. Signature of issuing officer Designation Dated: 8 Form No.H. 03 [See Rule 3(2)] GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FEDERAL SEED CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION OF NURSERY PLANTS/SEEDS To 1. Name of applicant/ Registration No. 2. Address. 3. Telephone No. 4. Location. 5. Name of species of fruit trees offered for certification. 6. Variety. 7. Source of propagating Materials. 8. No. of trees/area to be planted. 9. Category to be grown. 10. Proposed date of planting/ transplanting/grafting. I understand and agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department. I confirm that the plants offered by me for certification shall be planted with the above mentioned source. I further confirm that I shall take adequate steps for maintaining identity of plants and keep in a good husbandry growing conditions and free of plant pests. Signature of the applicant/Nurseryman. 9 Form No.H. 04 [See Rule 16] GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FEDERAL SEED CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT No. FSCD Dated: NURSERY PLANTS INSPECTION AND TESTING REPORT Name of Nursery Address Source of propagating material No. of fruit trees/area sown Category of plants grown Fruit crop/Variety . Inspection Testing 1. Isolation 1. Name of disease testing against 2. Condition of plants. 2. Disease % Remarks Final action Signature of Certifying Officer Designation Dated MOHAMMAD SHABAN Section Officer Disclaimer: text not valid for reproduction in any court