§ 115.444. Harvesting.
(a) The following requirements apply to harvesting seed material:
(1) Certified or selected tree seed or fruit shall be collected directly from producing trees.
(2) Each container of seed or fruit shall be labeled with the name of the variety at all times.
(3) There shall be adequate safeguards against mixed identities at all times throughout processing and storage.
(4) Storage conditions shall maintain viability of the seed, according to requirements of the species.
(5) The analysis tag shall state the weight of seed in the container in addition to information required by 3 Pa.C.S. Chapter 71 (relating to the Seed Act).
(b) The following minimum acceptable purity and germination standards apply to seed material:
Species Seed Standards common name scientific name pure seed min. % inert material max. % germi-
nation min. %seed lot wt. (lbs.) Balsam fir Abies balsamea 80 20 30 90 Fraser fir Abies fraseri 80 20 30 90 Black Walnut Juglans nigra 96 4 60 — European larch Larix decidua 90 10 40 70 Japanese larch Larix leptolepis 90 10 40 50 Norway spruce Picea abies 94 6 80 80 White spruce Picea glauca 90 10 80 30 Colorado Blue spruce Picea pungens 92 8 80 50 Red spruce Picea rubens 92 8 80 40 Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata 96 4 85 100 Red pine Pinus resinosa 96 4 85 100 Eastern White pine Pinus strobus 96 4 85 200 Scotch pine Pinus sylvestris 96 4 85 80 Virginia pine Pinus virginiana 96 4 85 100 Sycamore Platanus occidentalis 80 20 30 — Black cherry Prunus serotina 96 4 60 — Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii 85 15 75 125 White oak Quercus alba 98 2 60 — Red oak Quercus borealis 98 2 60 — Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 96 4 50 — Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis 90 10 75 30 (1) Pure seed minimum category allows no other species.
(2) Standard testing procedures have not been established for black walnut, sycamore, white oak or red oak.
(3) The seed lot weight figure is based on an average lot of seed containing approximately 5 million seeds. It is only a suggested figure giving the maximum weight for convenient storage and testing and not a requirement.
(4) Germination tests shall have been completed within a six-month period prior to shipment and the seed should be stored in appropriate containers at a temperature of not more than 38° F.
(c) The following requirements apply to harvesting of seedlings:
(1) Containers or packages used for transporting the trees shall be labeled with the name of the variety and the seed lot number at all times.
(2) There shall be adequate safeguards against mixed identities at all times throughout the lifting, transporting, storing, grading and packing processes.
(3) Optimum conditions shall be maintained so that the plants will be healthy and vigorous at the time of sale. Seriously diseased plants will not be approved.
(4) Labeling tags shall contain the name and address of the producer; the species and subspecies, if applicable; the variety name; date packed; and lot number and quantity.
(5) After processing, seedlings shall be free of diseases, insects and any type of damage that would adversely affect survival and growth to a significant extent. Plants should meet suggested height and caliper requirements in subsection (e) of this section. The producer shall specify in his advertising the range in plant size, by height and caliper.
(d) The following requirements apply to harvesting vegetative materials:
(1) There shall be adequate safeguards against mixed identities at all times throughout the propagule collection, culturing, planting, transplanting, lifting, transporting, storing, grading and packing processes. The certified clonal materials shall be kept completely separate from similar materials.
(2) Optimum conditions shall be maintained so that the plants will be healthy and vigorous at the time of sale. Seriously diseased plants will not be approved.
(3) Labeling tags shall contain the name and address of the producer; species and subspecies, if applicable; clone name; date packed; and lot number and quantity.
(4) Clone grade standards shall be: After processing, vegetatively reproduced plants or plant parts shall be free of diseases, insects and any type of damage that would adversely affect survival and growth to a significant extent. Plants should meet suggested height and caliper requirements as specified in subsection (e). The producer shall specify in his advertising the range in plant size, by height and caliper.
(e) The following seedling and clone grade standards are recommended:
(1) Trees should be alive and healthy, but in a dormant condition.
(2) Evergreen conifers should have live foliage covering two-thirds of their height.
(3) Roots should be full and fibrous and a minimum of 6 inches in length.
(4) The top-to-root ratio should not exceed four-to-one in green weight.
(5) The minimum stem diameter should be the following:
Plant Height in Inches Stem Diameter in Inches Coniferous seedling stock
(80% of plants)4—6 .10 6—9 .15 9—15 .20 Coniferous transplant stock
(90% of plants)6—9 .20 9—15 .25 Hardwood seedling stock
(80% of plants)6—10 .15 10—18 .20 Hybrid popular cuttings
(95% of plants)10 (min.) .25 (small end)
Authority The provisions of this § 115.444 amended under 3 Pa.C.S. § § 7111 and 7117.
Source The provisions of this § 115.444 amended May 22, 2009, effective June 22, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 2577. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (276788) to (276791).
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.
This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Code full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
