Seed Certification Standards in California

LIMA BEANS

Phaseolus lunatus

GENERAL STANDARDS -- The standards on this sheet are in part condensed and apply to lima bean. For greater detail and additional provisions, see the General Standards.

PLANTING STOCK -- In most varieties Breeder seed must be planted to produce Foundation seed, Foundation seed must be planted to produce Registered seed, and Registered seed must be planted to produce Certified seed. In varieties where there is no Registered class, Foundation seed must be planted to produce Certified seed.

APPLICATION -- Application forms are available at the county Farm Advisor's office or from CCIA. Applications should be filled out and submitted to the Farm Advisor's office or directly to the CCIA office as soon as possible after planting and no later than three (3) weeks after planting.

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FIELD ELIGIBILITY -- The land must not have grown the same species of beans as the previous crop unless the beans were of the same variety planted for certification and met the field inspection requirements for varietal purity.

ISOLATION -- Lima beans must be isolated thirty (30) feet from other lima varieties, except Concentrated Fordhook Lima Beans which must be isolated by 100 feet. This space can be planted with seed of the same variety if the appropriate number of rows are not harvested as seed, under the supervision of the Agricultural Commissioner. All fields or portions of fields intended for certification must have a definite boundary such as a fence, ditch, roadway, levee, or barren strip at least ten (10) feet wide.

FIELD INSPECTION -- Each field intended for certification must be inspected prior to harvest. At least one inspection shall be made preferably during the mid-bloom stage and, in some cases, earlier and later inspections may be made.

Off-Types -- Every field should be rogued to remove any plants of another crop or variety. Varieties cannot always be differentiated at field inspection. When differences can be distinguished, the maximum mixture of other varieties, distinct off-types, and inseparable other crops permitted is as follows:

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Weeds -- Fields must be free of any prohibited noxious weeds. Restricted noxious weeds, and common weeds difficult to separate must be controlled.

Fields may be refused certification due to unsatisfactory appearance caused by weeds, poor growth, poor stand, disease, insect damage, and any other condition which prevents accurate inspection or creates doubt as to identity of the variety.

A field inspection report will be sent to the applicant. If the field is approved, a certification number will be assigned. This number must be on all containers of seed before they leave the field. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure his field has been inspected before it is harvested.

HARVESTING -- Harvesting is subject to the supervision of the County Agricultural Commissioner who must be contacted prior to harvest. Any seed moved out of the county for conditioning must be accompanied by an Intercounty Permit or Interstate Transfer issued by the Commissioner.

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CONDITIONING AND SAMPLING -- Conditioning of seed for certification may be done only in facilities approved for this purpose by the California Crop Improvement Association. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine if the plant is eligible before delivering seed for conditioning. Conditioning, sampling, reconditioning, and blending must be supervised by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Conditioning equipment must be free from contaminating seed to the satisfaction of the supervising inspector.

SEED INSPECTION -- The sample size for a lot of certified lima bean seed is three (3) pounds, and for concentrated fordhook lima bean seed five (5) pounds. Seed sample size must meet or exceed the minimum AOSA "Weights for Working Samples"' and samples must be forwarded to an official State Lab or a private Seed Lab supervised by an RST using AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds. All lab results must be sent to the CCIA office.  The conditioner is responsible to provide germination test results for each lot submitted. In some instances varietal identity cannot be determined by visual seed inspections. Seed must be well screened and graded, bright in color, of good appearance, and meet the following standards for certified lima bean seed:

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*In some instances varietal identity cannot be determined by visual seed inspection. The total of all impurities shall not exceed 2%.

FINAL CERTIFICATION AND TAGGING -- If the seed sample meets all standards a seed inspection report is issued. Before certification is complete, however, each container must have an official tag or label attached. Certified seed may be sold to a grower in bulk without tagging if a properly filled out Bulk Sale Certificate accompanies the shipment. The tags and Bulk Sale Certificates are issued by the California Crop Improvement Association to the County Agricultural Commissioner who supervises their attachment.

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