Eligibility for Certification
- Only NSIC-approved and registered potato varieties qualify for certification
Application for Certification
- Only accredited seed potato growers may apply
- Certification forms accessible through Seed Quality Control Services Office
Definition of Key Terms
- Seed Certifying Agency: NSQCS under Bureau of Plant Industry, DA
- Seed: Vegetatively propagated tuber for potato reproduction
- Field Lot: Area designated for seed production and certification
- Seed Lot: Specific quantity harvested from a certified field
- Seed Grower: Accredited individual/cooperative/corporation meeting standards
- Seed Inspector: Authorized personnel conducting inspections
- Basic Seed (Go), Foundation Seed (F1), Certified Seed (C1-CIII): Categories of seed generation
- Roguing: Removal and destruction of diseased/undesirable plants
Field Requirements
- Minimum seed production area: 0.5 hectare
- Field suitability includes:
- Free from PCN, RKN, and with low bacterial wilt organism (max 10 cfu)
- Soil analysis certificates required
- Crop rotation for at least two seasons with non-solanaceous crops
- Accessibility to storage facilities
- Appropriate agro-climatic conditions (elevations: Mindanao >= 900m, CAR >= 1800m)
- Only one potato variety per field per season
- Compliance with seed production rules and membership in Seed Potato Growers' Association required
- Partial field certification possible if standards are met
Seed Potato Requirements
- Seed potatoes must be of the same variety and class within a field
- Quality standards based on inspections and laboratory tests
- Imported seed potatoes require quarantine documents and post-entry quarantine
Crop Inspection
- Fields must have labels with grower, variety, origin, seed class, planting date, and area
- Isolation distances defined between seed classes:
- 2m between Basic and Foundation Seed
- 20m between Foundation and Certified Seed (C1)
- 50m between Certified Seed generations (CII and CIII)
- At least three official inspections at defined stages:
- 1st inspection (20-30 days): Roguing starts with removal of diseased plants
- 2nd inspection (40-50 days): Continued roguing
- 3rd inspection (60-75 days): Testing for nematodes
- Additional inspections as necessary
- Seed inspectors prepare preliminary reports and collect tuber samples for lab analysis after passing field standards
- Sampling protocols create statistically significant samples for each seed generation
Field and Seed Lot Standards
- Detailed maximum permissible levels of varietal mixtures, missing hills, nematode presence, bacterial diseases, rhizoctonia, and virus diseases per inspection and seed class
Post-Harvest Control and Seed Standards
- Sampling for bacterial and virus testing one week before harvest
- Certified seed tuber size: 25-55mm
- Post-harvest tolerances for diseases and physical damages with specific percentages per class
Seed Certification Fees
- Fees required for seed certification services
- Field inspection fees based on area with charges for additional inspections
- Laboratory analysis fees for bacterial wilt and virus testing
- Tagging fee per certification tag
Tagging
- Certification tags affixed to seed bags/crates
- Tags guarantee genetic identity, health condition, and varietal purity
- Color-coded tags designate seed classes:
- Basic (Go): White
- Foundation (F1): Red
- Certified II (CII): Blue
- Certified III (CIII): Yellow
- Tags include metadata such as crop, variety, seed grower, lab, lot number, germination, testing and harvest dates, and seed inspector
Examination and Verification by Seed Certifying Agency
- Routine and unscheduled field inspections during cropping and prior to selling or distribution
- Goal to maintain reliability and enforcement of standards
This comprehensive framework covers all key aspects of potato seed certification ensuring quality control, disease prevention, and proper handling procedures for seed potato production in the Philippines.