§ 115.425. Data and analyses.
Data and analyses supporting claims made in the varietal (seed) or clonal (vegetative) descriptions shall be appropriate to the following certification categories:
(1) Certified tree seed or clone.
(i) Seed progeny test records of individuals or populations or clonal test records (vegetative) shall attest that the following requirements have been met, and shall list the names of all persons involved. Alternatively, if a clone was certified by a different agency, a document of certification and an official copy of its certification standards and procedures may be submitted if they offer equivalent guarantees of genetic qualities.
(ii) Each test shall be designed to evaluate differences in specified characteristics at appropriate ages, and test results shall be expressed in those terms. The statistical design shall be recorded in detail to guide the analyses of test data and the evaluation of results. Replication, randomization and specification of appropriate error terms for evaluating differences shall be essential features. Results shall be expressed in standard units of measure, and statistical tests of significance shall be provided for differences between means.
(iii) Test locations shall adequately sample the geographic region for which the variety of clone is to be recommended. The record shall describe the test sites, including location, climate, soil, past use, site preparation, cultural treatments and occurrence of damage caused by freezes, droughts, insects, diseases or other agencies.
(iv) Seeds or plants subjected to testing shall truly represent seeds or plants that subsequently are to be submitted for certification. If there are possible differences due to pollination or propagation method, seed collection, propagule collection procedures or sampling, it shall be shown that the departures do not bias the test results or their applicability to certification.
(v) One or more check clones of seedling varieties shall be incorporated in the progeny tests or clonal tests. The checks shall represent seeds or plants that would have been acceptable to a prudent, well-informed purchaser had the improved seed or clone not been produced or propagated.
(vi) Records shall indicate that reasonable efforts were made to avoid experimental bias that could be introduced by variation in nursery beds, cultural practices, lifting, grading, packing, storage, transportation, planting, plantation treatments, measurements techniques or mixed identities.
(vii) Measurements and observations made during the progeny or clonal test shall be preserved in readily understandable form, together with statistical analyses and clear, verified summaries. The report shall include quantitative comparisons between the candidate progenies or clones and the checks for each characteristic measured and for each measurement date, whether or not any differences revealed are favorable or statistically significant.
(2) Selected tree seed and clones. Selection records of populations and their individual members shall attest that the following requirements have been met:
(i) The genetic background or ancestry from which the trees were derived shall be described, including provenance, the possible eugenic or disgenic effects of earlier selection practices in the same or previous generations, and deviations from the usual mating patterns in natural populations of the same species of seed.
(ii) There shall be at least indirect evidence that each clone, or each population from which phenotypically superior trees or clones were selected, is well adapted for the geographic region and uses for which the improved variety is intended. There is no reason for suspecting that the clone or the seed may have a serious genetic defect.
(iii) Selection shall be carried out for or against specified characteristics. Selection criteria and procedures shall be described in detail, including the names of all persons involved.
(iv) Selection intensity shall be given for each characteristic in terms of the quantitative differences between the selected trees or clones and the populations from which they were selected. The procedures for computing these values shall be clearly described.
(v) If it exists, pertinent genetic information such as inheritance patterns, heritability estimates or provenance comparisons (for seed), or concerning clonal variation (vegetative), derived from the literature on the same or closely related species (seed) or clones (vegetative) should be summarized and the literature citations listed.
(3) Source-Identified tree seed. The following shall be included:
(i) The genetic background or ancestry from which the trees were derived shall be described, including provenance, possible eugenic or disgenic effects of earlier selection practices in the same or previous generations and deviations from the usual mating patterns in natural populations of the same species.
(ii) There shall be at least indirect evidence that the population is well adapted for the geographic region and uses for which the improved variety is intended. There is no reason for suspecting that it may have serious defects.
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