I.   Subject

These test guidelines apply to all varieties of Berseem  (Trifolium alexandrinum L.)

II.   Material required

1. The Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Authority decides when, where and in what quantity and quality the plant material required for testing the variety is to be delivered.  Applicants submitting material from a country other than India must make sure that all customs formalities are complied with.  The minimum quantity of seed to be supplied by the applicant should be:
     
   500 gram (in one submission only)
     
2. The seed should meet the minimum requirements for germination capacity, moisture content and purity as prescribed for certified seed in India.  Especially for storage, which requires a higher standard the applicant should state the actual germination capacity, which should be as high as possible. The seed supplied should be visibly healthy, not lacking in vigour or affected by any important pest or disease.
     
3. The plant material must not have undergone any treatment unless the competent authorities allow or request such treatment.  If it has been treated, full details of the treatment must be given.

III.   Conduct of tests

1. The minimum duration of tests should normally be two independent similar growing seasons with reference to the ecosystem of the variety submitted for DUS test.
     

2. The test should normally be conducted at two test locations. If any important characteristic of the variety can not be seen at these places, the variety may be tested at an additional place.
     

3. The test should be carried out under conditions ensuring normal growth.  The size of the plot should be such that plants or parts of plant may be removed for measuring and counting without prejudice to the observation which must be made upto the end of the growing period. Each test should include a minimum of 500 plants, which should be divided among 3 replications. Separate plots for observation and for measuring can only be used if they have been subjected to similar environmental conditions.
     
   Test plot design

   No. of rows	:	06
   Row length	:	05 m
   Row to row distance	:	45 cm
   Plant to plant distance	:	15 cm
   Number of  replications	:	03

    

4. Observations should not be recorded on plants in border rows.
     

5. Additional tests for special purpose may be established.  

IV.   Methods and observations

1. The characteristics described in the Table of characteristics should be used for the testing of varieties for DUS.
      

2.   For the assessment of distinctness and stability observations should be made on 60 plants or parts of plants which should be divided among 3 replications (20 plants in each replication). The number of aberrant plant should not exceed 4 in 60.  
      

3. For the assessment of uniformity of characteristics on the plot as a whole (visual assessment by a single observation of a group of plants or parts of plants), a population standard of 5% with an acceptance probability of atleast 95% should be applied. In the case of a simple size of 500 plants, the number of off-types should not exceed 25.  
    

4. All the leaf, leaflet and stipule characteristics should be observed on 3^rd leaf from the head of main stem.  
      

5. For the assessment of colour characteristics, it is recommended that Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart should be used.  

V.   Grouping of varieties  

1. The collection of varieties to be grown should be divided into groups to facilitate the assessment of distinctness. Characteristics, which are suitable for grouping purposes, are those, which are known from experience not to vary, or to vary only slightly, within a variety. Their various states of expression should be fairly evenly distributed throughout the collection.  
     

2.   It is recommended that the competent authorities use the following characteristics for grouping varieties:

   i.                     Time of flowering (characteristic 3)

   ii.                   Leaflet : margin (characteristic 7)

VI. Characteristics and symbols

1. To assess distinctness, uniformity and stability, the characteristics and their states as given in the Table of characteristics should be used.
     

2. Notes (1 to 9), for the purposes of electronic data processing, are given opposite the states of each characteristic.  
     

3.   Legend

   (*)        Characteristics that should be used every growing period for the examinations of all varieties and should always be included in the description of the variety, except when the state of expression of a preceding characteristic or regional environmental conditions render this impossible.

   (+)       See Explanations on the Table of characteristics in Chapter VIII.  
   

4. The optimum stage of plant growth for assessment of each characteristic is indicated in the sixth column of Table of characteristics.  
     

5. Type of assessment of characteristics indicated in column seven of Table of characteristics is as follows :

   MG : Measurement by a single observation of a group of plants or parts of plants

   MS : Measurement of a number of individual plants or parts of plants

   VG : Visual assessment by a single observation of a group of plants or parts of plants

   VS : Visual assessment by observation of individual plants or parts of plants

VII. Table of characteristics
 

VIII. Explanations on the table of characteristics

Characteristic 6. Leaflet : apex

1 tapering		2 round

Characteristic 7.  Leaflet : margin

1 entire	2 serrate

Characteristic 9.  Leaflet : shape

1 round	2 ovate	3 lanceolate

Characteristic 16. Inflorescence : shape

	1 ovate		2 elongated

IX.   Technical questionnaire

[End of the document]