Certified seeds

The major difference between certified seed and quality-inspected seed is knowledge about the origin. In the case of quality-inspected seed, there are no requirements for field inspection, which means that the mother plants in the field are not inspected. Neither are there any requirements on how many generations that can be taken from quality-inspected seed.

• Lots of agricultural seed that has been granted a derogation are labelled with the text “dispens” and the reason for derogation in Swedish text, for example, ”low germination”. The label shall be brown.
  
• Lots of conservation varieties of agricultural seed are labelled with a brown label.
• Lots of seed of conservation varieties of vegetables are labelled with a yellow label.
• If the label is printed directly on the packaging, it is without colour indication for agricultural species.
• OECD labels have a black field on one edge with the text "OECD Seed Scheme" and "Système de l'OCDE pour les Semences”.
• The supplier’s label has the same colour as the official label.
• Breeder’s seed is still under the breeder's responsibility. Breeder’s seed is similar to seed in other categories when it comes to the process. It is examined in field inspection, control plot testing and lab analyses. However, certification of breeder’s seed is always approved, as there are no minimum requirements. It is, however, stated in the certification document whether it meets or does not meet the certification requirements for other categories, e.g., A, B, or C.
• If the lot meets the certification requirements for category A, it corresponds to category PB1.

Here are the most important quality requirements for certification of cereal seed. Samples are taken from every lot. A lot of cereals may not exceed 30 tonnes.

Germination

Germination capacity must be at least 85 percent for oats, barley, rye and wheat. It must be at least 80 percent for triticale.

Water content

The water content for all species must not exceed 16.0 percent, except for winter seed sampled during the period 1 March to 31 July. The water content may then not exceed 15.0 percent.

Wild oats

The seed may not contain kernels or parts of kernels of wild oats.

Diseases

The seed may not be infected with diseases which impairs usability. The barley is also checked for loose smut. The winter wheat is also checked for stinking smut and dwarf smut.

• When must the seed be treated to avoid diseases? – in Swedish Pdf, 34 kB.

Admixture of other species

¹ There may be at most the following of the species wild radish or corn cockle

• 2 seeds in class A and B
• 6 seeds in class C, C1 and C2.
  

² For hybrid rye, 8 per kg.

Here are the most important quality requirements for certification of seed of the most common species in the group. Samples are taken of every lot. A lot of grass and clover may not exceed 10 tonnes and a lot of field peas or field beans may not exceed 30 tonnes.

Water content

The water content for grass and clover seed may not exceed 13.0 percent. The water content in field pea and field bean seed may not exceed 18.0 percent.

Wild oats

The seed may not contain kernels or parts of kernels of wild oats.

Seed certification

The requirements for seed certification are shown in the tables.

¹ Black-grass may not exceed 0.3 percent. In the case of meadow-grass (Poa spp.), it is permissible with a certain proportion of another member of Poa spp.

² Number of Rumex spp., in addition to Rumex acetosella and Rumex maritimus.

¹ Number of Rumex spp., in addition to Rumex acetosella and Rumex maritimus.

Certified grass and clover seed

The requirements on pre basic seed (A) and basic seed (B) are higher than for certificate seed (Class C). For example, fewer seeds from other species are permissible in pre basic seed and basic seed.

Commercial seed

Commercial seed is a simpler type of certification which is available for certain species. It does not include any post control test or field inspection, and the seed may be marketed without variety denomination. Substantially, the same provisions apply as for certificate seed. The difference is in the quantity of other seeds that is permitted in the seed.

Commercial seed is available for, for example, bermuda grass, fenugreek, sainfoin, black mustard, sulla, Hungarian vetch and annual meadow grass. You may see all the species that commercial seed is available for in the fodder plant regulation (SJVFS 1994:23), to which there is a link under the heading Regulations.

Here are the most important quality requirements for certification of rape, turnip rape and linseed seeds. Samples are taken from every lot. A lot of oil seeds may not exceed 10 tonnes.

Germination capacity

The germination capacity must be at least 85 percent.

Water content

The water content may not exceed 9.0 percent.

Wild oats

The seed may not contain kernels or parts of kernels of wild oats.

Diseases

There should be the lowest possible level of diseases in the seed. For example, the quantity of white mould is checked in rape and some fungal diseases in linseed.

Admixture of other species

In a sample of 2 500 seeds, there may be at most 10 charlock mustard seeds (Sinapis arvensis).

In rape and turnip rape, there may be at most 0.3 percent of other species, but at most 10 wild radish or charlock mustard seeds. In linseed, there may be at most 15 seeds of other species, with a maximum of 4 seeds of black grass.

• Each lot which is to be cultivated for use as seed is checked prior to cultivation. These post control tests are monitored throughout the growing season to check that it is the correct variety and that there is no admixture of other varieties.
• Field inspections are made of the seed cultivation areas both that the right variety is being cultivated and if other species, weeds or disease are present in the cultivation. Wild oats shall not be present.
• When sampling the harvest from the seed cultivation, a representative sample from the whole lot is taken for analysis.
• The seed is examined in a laboratory to check that there is no admixture of other species and that the content of pure seed is sufficiently high. Furthermore, the germination capacity is checked and the water content as well as checking for diseases in the seed for certain species.

You can read more about the certification process on our website for seed plants.

• Production at the seed plants – in Swedish

Here are the most important quality requirements for certification of seed potatoes.

The highest proportion of damaged potatoes

Seed potatoes with quality defects can lead to a smaller and poorer harvest. It is therefore important that there is not too damage to the seed potatoes.

In the tables, you can read about how large a proportion of damaged potatoes there may be in different classes of certified seed potatoes. The total of these quality defects may not exceed 6.0 percent for pre basic and basic seed and 8.0 percent for certificate seed.

Size fractions

Potatoes are certified in size fractions, for example 30–45 mm. There may not be more than 3 percent of tubers that are larger or smaller than the fraction stated on the label. The proportion of soil may not exceed 1 percent.

Virus diseases

The presence of PLRV (potato leafroll virus) is investigated only if there is suspected infection.

There are certain exceptions for testing virus diseases, for example, within the same contracted production in the Counties of Västerbotten and Norrbotten.

There are limits for how large a proportion of potatoes with PVY virus there may be in different classes of seed potato. The limits are presented in the table.

• On the field where the seed cultivation is planned, soil samples are taken before every growing season to investigate and check that there are no potato cyst nematodes in the soil.
• During the growing season, field inspection takes place of growing crops in the seed cultivations. The potato plants are then checked for the presence of regulated organisms harmful to plants and that the plants are of the right variety.
• Before certification can take place, the seed must be tested for the presence of viruses.
• There are also quality requirements for seed lots. The tubers are check that there is not too much damage to them and that they do not have too high a content of diseases, such as rot and scab. The seed lot shall also be checked so that the size of the tubers does not vary too much.

• You can read more about the certification process on our website for seed installations.
  

• Production of seed installations – in Swedish

A seed plant must use an official sampler to take samples for analysis and post control test of the seed which is to be certified. It is also possible to authorise an individual as a sampler.

In order for a seed plant to be able to use an authorised sampler, the plant must be approved by the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

How to apply

You apply to become an authorised sampler at the Swedish Board of Agriculture by e-mail. In order to be authorised, you need to have successfully completed a course arranged by the Swedish Board of Agriculture. You then need to participate in a refresher course every other year. The Swedish Board of Agriculture carries out random checks of the work of the authorised person.

• utsadeskontroll@jordbruksverket.se

Read more about authorisation of samplers

You can read more about the conditions for and details of authorisation of samplers for seed of seed-bearing plants and approval of seed plants in

• Annexes 3b of the regulations for seeds of cereals plants, beet seeds, seeds of fodder, oil and fibre plants
• Annex 2b of the regulations for vegetable seeds.

The regulations are collected under the heading Regulations.

A company that is to produce seed of agricultural plants can let the Swedish Board of Agriculture carry out field inspection of the seed cultivations or choose to use someone else authorised by the Swedish Board of Agriculture to do this.

How to apply

You can apply to be authorised as a field inspector at the Swedish Board of Agriculture by e-mail. In order to be authorised, you need to have successfully completed a course arranged by the Swedish Board of Agriculture. You also need to participate in a refresher course every third year. The Swedish Board of Agriculture makes random checks of the work of the authorised person’s work.

Special rules apply for authorisation of persons who are to inspect cultivations of seed potatoes. Contact the Swedish Board of Agriculture for more information.

• utsadeskontroll@jordbruksverket.se

Read more about authorisation of field inspectors

You can read more about the details of authorisation of field inspectors in

• Annex 3a in the regulations for seeds of cereals, beet seed, seed of fodder, oil and fibre plants
  
• Annex 2a in the regulations for vegetable seeds.

The regulations are collected under the heading Regulations.

A business that produces seed from agricultural plants can use an official seed laboratory to make the mandatory laboratory tests of seed before it can be certified by an official certification body, the Swedish Board of Agriculture or Frökontrollen Mellansverige AB. It is also possible to use a laboratory authorised by the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

Read more about authorisation of laboratories

You can read more about the conditions for and details of authorisation of laboratories in

• Annexes 3c in the regulations for seeds of cereals, beet seed, seeds of fodder, oil and fibre plants

• Annex 2c in the regulations for vegetable seeds.

The regulations are collected under the heading Regulations.