Pursuant to the provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 7308, otherwise known as the Seed Industry Development Act of 1992, Chapter III, Article II, Section 3, and upon approval of the National Seed Industry Council, the following guidelines are hereby adopted to ensure better quality of seeds:

I. Field and Postharvest Inspection

Deputized Seed Inspectors are required to conduct field inspection

A minimum of two (2) field inspections, preliminary (pre-flowering) and final (at flowering), and a minimum of one postharvest inspection after cob sorting before shelling shall be required. More inspections may be done to assess presence of off-types, weeds, diseased plants and other contaminants.

II. Field Standards

A. Unit of Certification -  The minimum area intended for certification must be one (1) hectare in compact area.

B. Isolation -

Time Isolation - 18 to 20 days gap of flowering before and after planting of any corn.

Distance Isolation -  Minimum of 300m without barrier. In the presence of natural barriers such as sugarcane, banana, and other plantation crops taller than corn, an isolation of 200m is allowed.

Field Standard:

Factors    Maximum no. of plants permitted per 100 sq.m. of each class

	Breeder	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Other varieties
and off-types	0	5	6	8
Other crops	0	0	2	5
Objectionable weeds*	0	1	2	3

^* Objectionable weeds - Amaranthus spp., Ipomea triloba, Roetboella exaltata, etc.

C. Specific Requirement

At approximate 40,000 plant density/ha., maximum of 200 offtypes are allowed per hectare. Determination of off-types during field inspection is based on plant height (+-30 cms. from the normal height), maturity (+-7 days from the normal maturity), and leaf angle.  Volunteer plants, pests infected and infested plants and barren plants should be removed during inspection. Replanting of missing hills is not allowed in OPV seed production.

III. Seed Lot

Homogenous seed lot produced from field lot shall be marked Field Lot A-1, Field Lot A-2, or Field Lot B-1, Field Lot B-2. The number 1, 2, 3 and so on shall be the seed lot designation.

IV. Seed Sampling

Seed sampling shall be carried out by Deputized Seed Inspectors. The Certifying Agency may conduct seed sampling only when necessary. Samples shall be taken at random in a seed lot.

The Intensity of seed sampling shall be as follows:

No. of bags in Lot No. of bags to sample

1-10 Every bag 11-15 10 21-30 12 31-40 14 41-50 16 51-60 18 61-70 20 71-80 22 81-90 24 91-100 26

Maximum number of bags/seed lot for certification

Source of seeds Weight per bag No. of bags/seedlot


Breeder 10 kg 10 Foundation 20 kg 50 Registered 20 kg 100

V. Seed Testing

A sample, weighing at least one (1) kg shall be submitted for certification and shall be analyzed/tested within 72 hrs. after receipt of the sample. Result of analysis must be released within 15 working days as long as there is no problem with the quality of the seed.

VI. Seed Standards

Factor Breeders Foundation Registered Certified




Pure seed (min.) % 99 99 98 98 Inert matter (max) % 1 1 2 2 Other crop seeds (max)% 0 0 0 0 Weed seed (max) % 0 0 0 0 Other varieties (max) no. of grains/kg 0 4 6 10 Germination(min) % 85 85 85 85 Moisture Content (max) %  14 14 14 14

VII. Tagging

Tagging of seed lots passing certification shall be done by the Deputized Seed Inspectors.

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon publication in the official gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Adopted: 15 Jan. 2010

(SGD.) ATTY. ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Chairman,
National Seed Industry Council

Recommending Approval:

(SGD.) LARRY R. LACSON, Ph.D.
OIC, Executive Director and Vice Chairman,
National Seed Industry Council