Specific Work Instructions: Special Crops and New Crop Inspection Procedures

SWI 142.1.2-7

Date
Contact
Review
Endorsement
Distribution
0.0 Introduction
1.0 Scope
2.0 References
3.0 Definitions
4.0 Specific Inspection Procedures
- 4.1 Assessment of Application
- 4.2 Inspection Requirements
- 4.3 Crop Inspection
- 4.4 Completion of the Report of Seed Crop Inspection
Appendices

Date

This version of the Special Crops and New Crops Inspection Procedures was issued May 15, 2005.

Contact

The contact for this Seed Program Specific Work Instruction (SWI) is the Chief, Import and Domestic Office, Seed Section.

Review

This Seed Program Specific Work Instruction (SWI) is subject to periodic review. Amendments will be issued to ensure the SWI continues to meet current needs.

Endorsement

This Seed Program Specific Work Instruction is hereby approved.

Director, Plant Production Division

Date

Distribution

The most current version of this document will be maintained on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Internet site. The signed original will be maintained by the National Manager, Seed Section.

The purpose of crop inspection is to provide a third party unbiased inspection and completion of a report for the Canadian Seed Growers' Association (CSGA) on the isolation, condition, and purity of the crop. It is the inspector's responsibility to describe the crop as observed at the time of inspection.

1.0 Scope

This Seed Program Specific Work Instruction (SWI) outlines the procedures that a crop inspector will follow in inspecting buckwheat, canaryseed, industrial hemp, flax, millet, niger, safflower, sorghum, sunflower, tobacco, herbs and spices crops for pedigreed status. These crop inspection procedures allow the CSGA to determine that seed crops grown meet the crop standards and requirements for varietal purity as specified by the CSGA's Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Seed Crop Production (Circular 6) and the Seeds Act and Regulations.

2.0 References

The publications referred to in the development of this SWI are those identified in SPRA 111 References and QSP 142.1 Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection Procedures, SWI 143.1.1 Industrial Hemp Commercial Cultivation Inspection Procedures, Circular 6, Rogues and Roguing, Genetic and Crop Standards of the AOSCA. In addition, the following were used:

Safflower, Carthimus tinctorius L., L. Dajue and H.H. Mundel, 1996, International Plant Gene Resources Institute
Safflower Production on the Canadian Prairies: revisited in 2004, 2004, H.H. Mundel, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Camelina Production in Montana, K. A. McVay and P.F. Lamb, 2007, Montana State University Extension.
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (www.agric.gov.ab.ca)
Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture)
British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (www.gov.bc.ca)
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization (www.agr.gov.sk.ca)

3.0 Definitions

For the purposes of this SWI the definitions given in SPRA 101 Definitions and the following apply,

AOSCA: Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
Dioecious: Having male and female flowers on separate plants
Hybrid: the first generation progeny of a cross between two different plants of the same species often resulting in a plant that is more vigorous or desirable than either parent.
Monoecious: Having male and female flowers on the same plant; and unisexual female hybrids
Off-types: Plants in a seed crop which deviate in one or more characteristics from the official description of the variety.
Variant: Any seed or plant which (a) is distinct within the variety but occurs naturally within the variety, (b) is stable and predictable with a degree of reliability compared to other varieties of the same kind, within known tolerances and (c) was originally part of the variety as released. It is not an off-type.

4.0 Specific Inspection Procedures

4.1 Assessment of Application

If information is missing, the applicant should be contacted to ensure that all necessary information is present before the initial inspection of the crop.

Since many hemp crops are planted with imported seed, inspectors should note whether tag verification is requested on the lower left corner of the pre-printed Report of Seed Crop Inspection.

4.2 Inspection Requirements

Canaryseed (also known as annual canarygrass), oilseed flax, flue cured tobacco, buckwheat, safflower and oilseed and confectionery sunflower varieties require variety registration. Variety descriptions for flax, buckwheat and safflower are available on the Product Registration System. Variety descriptions for other species requiring variety registration may be obtained from the Area Network Specialist or directly from the Variety Registration Office.

Fibre flax, industrial hemp, millet, niger, sorghum, coriander, Camelina, fenugreek, burley, cigar and dark tobacco do not require variety registration. Descriptions are available from CSGA or the grower. For herb and spice crops not described in this document, in addition to the the variety description, the inspector must contact the CSGA to obtain information on inspection requirements.

Other inspection requirements follow below:

for flax, inspections should be performed in the morning when the plants are in full bloom.
for industrial hemp, a minimum of two inspections are required. The first inspection must be made before female flowers (pistillate) of the inspected crop are receptive and after the formation of male flowers (staminate), but preferably before pollen shed. The second inspection of dioecious and monoecious crops must be made within three weeks after the first inspection, during the receptive stage of the female plants in the inspected crop. Second inspections usually provide the counts (of impurities such as all male plants) that determine the pedigree class of industrial hemp seed crops. Third inspections are required if off-type female flowers were reported in earlier inspections in order to verify they have been adequately rogued. The third inspection is made when off-type female flowers can be identified (more often a problem in dioecious varieties than monoecious). These inspections may be recorded on the Report of Industrial Hemp Seed Crop Inspection - 3 visit count sheet (Appendix II).

The third inspection may be combined with an inspection on behalf of Health Canada if Health Canada has requested the field to be inspected and the inspection is conducted at a time appropriate for a Health Canada inspection i.e. when more than 50% of newly formed seeds are non-compressible. If an inspection is conducted on behalf of Health Canada, an Industrial Hemp Inspection Report Form must be completed according to SWI 143.1.1 Industrial Hemp Commercial Cultivation Inspection Procedures.
for tobacco, three inspections must be made, one of the seedbed and two of the seed plot. The first inspection is done in late May, as seedlings still in the greenhouse. The tag is verified at that time (as tobacco is grown using Breeder seed), the greenhouse is checked to make sure that the seedlings are physically separated from all other tobacco plants. Usually, the grower will have a separate greenhouse for the pedigreed tobacco, but sometimes will have to use a physical barrier in the same greenhouse. The second inspection is done in July before flowering to check isolation in the crop from other tobacco crops. The third inspection is done in late August when the plants are in full flower, and differences in the flowers and plants can be seen.
for sorghum (grain type) and millet, Foundation and Registered seed crops must be given at least two crop inspections. The first inspection is done at pre-bloom to one-half bloom stage. The second inspection must be made after the seed begins to assume a mature colour. Certified seed crops must be given at least one inspection before harvest but after the seed begins to assume a mature colour. Individual inspections should be documented using the Records of Inspection for Hybrid Sorghum/Millet found in Appendix II. The records must be attached to the final Report of Seed Crop Inspection.
for forage sorghum, two inspections must be performed for Foundation, Registered and Certified seed crops. The first inspection is done at pre-bloom to one-half bloom stage. The second inspection must be made after the seed begins to assume a mature colour. Individual inspections should be documented using the Records of Inspection for Hybrid Sorghum/Millet found in Appendix II. The records must be attached to the final Report of Seed Crop Inspection.
for hybrid sorghum, Certified crops of commercial hybrids or Foundation seed stocks must be given at least three inspections. Two inspections of the seed parent must be made during bloom, one in early bloom and one in full bloom. One inspection must be made before harvest but after the seed begins to assume mature colour. Individual inspections should be documented using the Records of Inspection for Hybrid Sorghum/Millet found in Appendix II. The records must be attached to the final Report of Seed Crop Inspection.
for safflower, coriander, niger, Camelina and fenugreek, one inspection must be performed during the bloom stage but not before at least fifty percent of the plants are showing one or more blossoms.
for open pollinated sunflower, one inspection must be performed after the crop is at least fifty percent in bloom and before it is fully matured.
for buckwheat and canaryseed, one inspection must be completed when the crop is in bloom.

4.3 Crop Inspection

Before starting the inspection the inspector must verify the location by matching the information from the application (including map) with the field site.

Isolation distances can be large and may require additional time to verify their condition, especially when plants that may cross pollinate with the crop are found.

The crop should be walked according to the selected travel pattern noting the isolation distance and condition, varietal purity of the crop, presence of noxious or difficult to separate weeds or other crops. Areas of potential sources of contamination such as water runs, and areas along roadways or near seed bins etc. should be examined more closely.
It may be necessary to reduce the size of the count from 10,000 plants to 1000 for industrial hemp if the crop is planted with high seeding rates or in narrow rows making it difficult for the inspector to perform the traditional six counts of 10,000 plants/count. The number of counts will then have to increase. For example, if the count size is reduced to 1000 plants then a minimum of 15 counts should be performed for Foundation and Registered crop production, and a minimum of 10 counts for Certified production. For Foundation plot production, a minimum of 20 counts should be done.
For self-pollinated varieties of tobacco, the required isolation distance between different varieties is 400 m and for the same variety the distance is 45 m. When producing hybrid tobacco seed of the same type and when male fertile and male sterile varieties are grown side by side in the same crop, four border rows of the male sterile varieties adjacent to the male fertile varieties shall be allowed to bloom and set seed but may not be harvested for seed except when the male fertile plants are to be used as the pollen parent on the adjacent male sterile plants. Otherwise, male sterile plants must be at least 45 m from male fertile plants. Isolation between male sterile plants and male fertile plants of different types must be at least 400 m except when protected from cross pollination by bagging or when all plants in the adjacent crops are topped before blooming.
For Foundation and Registered millet, the minimum isolation distance required from another variety must be 400 m. For Certified millet, the minimum required isolation distance is 200 m. The minimum isolation distance between millets of different genera is 2 m.
For Foundation and Registered sorghum (forage and grain type), the minimum required isolation distance from another variety is 300 m. For Certified sorghum, the minimum required isolation distance is 200 m. The required isolation distance from grass sorghum and broomcorn is 400 m.
For forage sorghum, six counts of 1500 plants are performed for a total of 9000 plants.
For Foundation parent crops of hybrid sorghum, the minimum isolation distance required is 300 m from crops of any other sorghum variety or crops of the same variety that do not meet the varietal purity requirements for certification. For the production of Certified hybrid crops, the seed parent shall not be less than 200 m from any other sorghum crops and 400 m from grass sorghum or broomcorn. The modification of isolation distances by the planting of additional pollinator border rows shall be allowed only in cases in which the hybrid produced by the border row pollen would not differ greatly in colour, maturity, height, type, or any other important characteristic from the hybrid being produced. Modification of the isolation distance of 200 m down to a minimum of 100 m is permitted in such cases when two additional border rows of the pollinator are planted for each 20 m of reduction in isolation distance. The requirements for additional pollinator rows applies to all sides of a seed crop exposed to the contaminating pollen whether located directly opposite or diagonally from the contaminating source. Differential blooming dates are permitted for modifying isolation distances, provided that the sum of the percentages of plants in bloom in the seed rows and in the contaminating source shall not exceed five percent when more than one percent of the plants in either crop are in bloom.
For niger crops for Foundation status, the crops must be isolated from crops of other niger varieties or non-pedigreed niger crops by 400 m. For Certified status, the crop must be isolated from crops of other niger varieties or non-pedigreed niger crops by 200 m. Six counts of 30 sq. m each are required for crops for Foundation status and six counts of 10 sq. m each are required for crops for Certified status.
For coriander crops for Foundation and Registered status, the crops must be isolated from crops of other coriander varieties or non-pedigreed coriander crops by 400 m. For Certified status, the crop must be isolated from crops of other coriander varieties or non-pedigreed coriander crops by 200 m. Six counts of 30 sq. m each are required for crops for Foundation and Registered status and six counts of 10 sq. m each are required for crops for Certified status.
For industrial hemp, safflower, sunflower and buckwheat, the inspector must note the isolation distance requirements listed in Circular 6.
For Camelina crops for Foundation and Registered status, the crops must be isolated by a distance of 100 m from other varieties or non-pedigreed crops of Camelina. For crops for Certified status, the crops must be isolated by a distance of 16 m from other varieties or non-pedigreed crops of Camelina.
For fenugreek crops for Foundation and Registered status, the crops must be isolated by a distance of 10 m from other varieties or non-pedigreed crops of fenugreek. For crops for Certified status, the crops must be isolated by a distance of 3 m from other varieties or non-pedigreed crops of fenugreek.

4.4 Completion of the Report of Seed Crop Inspection

Key factors in completion of the report are:

For flax, the time of day the crop was inspected and the percentage of plants in flower must be recorded in the "Comments" section of the Report of Seed Crop Inspection.
For industrial hemp, along with the Report of Seed Crop Inspection, a Report of Industrial Hemp Seed Crop Inspection (Appendix II) must be completed.
Tobacco, millet, sorghum, hybrid sorghum, industrial hemp, sunflower, safflower and buckwheat are open pollinated crops, therefore, they require large isolation distances. The distance to potentially contaminating crops must be recorded in the Open Pollinated Crops section of the Report of Seed Crop Inspection. For example, if none, state "None within _m of crop", where m is the isolation requirement.
When commercial crops planted with Certified seed of the same variety are planted within the required isolation distances, the pedigree of those crops must be verified and the isolation distance must be sufficient to keep the pedigreed crop free of contaminants.
When Tartarian buckwheat is found in a buckwheat crop, it is to be included in the counts for Weeds Difficult to Separate.

Appendices

Appendix I: Weeds and Other Crop Kinds to Report

Crop	Difficult to Separate Weeds (Report in Counts)	Objectionable Weeds (Report in Frequency)	Other Crop Kinds to be reported in counts
Buckwheat	Tartarian buckwheat	Cleavers (bedstraw) Dock* Sterile oats Stickseed Stinkweed Wild Mustard Wild Oats	all cereals
Camelina	none	Prickly lettuce Stinkweed Shepherd's purse	none
Canaryseed	none	Cleavers (bedstraw) Cow cockle Green foxtail Night-flowering catchfly Sterile oats Stickseed Stinkweed Wild Mustard Wild Oats	flax
Coriander	none	none	none
Fenugreek	none	none	canaryseed flax
Flax	none	Cow cockle Night-flowering catchfly Sterile oats Stickseed Stinkweed Wild Oats	canaryseed
Industrial Hemp	Broomcorn (Orobanche spp.) Hemp Nettle	none	none
Millet	none	Barnyard grass Yellow foxtail Green foxtail	sorghum
Niger	none	Vetches	none
Safflower	none	none	none
Sorghum	none	Barnyard grass Yellow foxtail Green foxtail	millet
Sunflower	none	none	none
Tobacco	none	none	none

*Dock species to be reported: Curled dock, Broad leaved dock, Clustered dock and Fiddle dock

Appendix II: Reports used for Counts

Report of industrial hemp seed crop inspection 3 visit count sheet

Click on image for larger view

Form - Report of Industrial Hemp Seed Crop Inspection

Record of inspection for hybrid sorghum/millet

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Form - Record of inspection for hybrid sorghum/millet

Appendix III: Crop Standards for Sorghum, Millet, Fenugreek and Camelina

Millet (Self Pollinated)

	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Other Varieties	1/3000	1/2000	1/1000
Inseparable Crops	1/10,000	1/10,000	1/2000

Millet (Cross Pollinated)

	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Other Varieties (definite)	1/20,000	1/10,000	1/5000
Other Varieties (doubtful)	1/10,000	1/5000	1/2500

Hybrid Sorghum

A. Pollen Shedding by Seed Parents

	Maximum Permitted at Any One Crop Inspection
Foundation	1/3000
Commercial Hybrids	1/1500

B. Both the Seed Parent and the Pollinator shall be required to meet the following

Maximum permitted at any Crop Inspection: Ratio of Heads

	Foundation Seed Stocks (Bloom & Final)	Commercial Hybrid Seed
Other Varieties (definite)	1/50,000	1/20,000
Other Varieties (doubtful)	1/20,000	1/1000

Sorghum

Maximum Permitted - Ratio of Heads

	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Other Varieties (definite)	1/50,000	1/35,000	1/20,000
Other Varieties (doubtful)	1/20,000	1/10,000	1/1000

Fenugreek

Fenugreek	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Off-types and other varieties	1/10,000	1/10,000	5/10,000

Camelina

Camelina	Foundation	Registered	Certified
Off-types and other varieties	2/10,000	5/10,000	10/10,000

Appendix IV: Maximum Impurity Standards for Buckwheat, Canaryseed and Flax

Appendix 4: Maximum impurity standards for buckwheet, canaryseed and flax
Image - Maximum impurity standards for buckwheat, canaryseed and flax

Appendix V: Maximum Impurity Standards for Industrial Hemp

Pedigreed Crop	Maximum Impurity Standards per 10,000 plants in Industrial Hemp Seed Crops
Pedigreed Crop	Maximum # of "Too Male" Monoecious Plants	Maximum # of Dioecious Male Plants	Maximum Other Impurity Standards
Dioecious type- Registered	-	-	10
Dioecious type-Certified	-	-	10
Monoecious type and Hybrids- Registered	1000	2	10
Monoecious type and Hybrids- Certified	-	100	10

Appendix VI: Codes that may by used by Inspectors

Abbreviation	Impurity	Abbreviation	Impurity
AC (on flax)	Anthocyanin coloured pods	PW	Petals are white
BARB	Barbed	ST	Sterile plants
BFF	Flowers with blue filaments	TL	Taller and later plants
ER	Erect plants	TPF	Taller, purple flowered
LM	Later (less mature)	TPLA	Taller and purple on leaf axis
LP	Leafy plants	TPS	Taller and purple on stem
PDB	Petals are dark blue	TWP	Taller, white flowered plant
PLB	Petals are light blue	WFF	Flowers with white filament

Appendix VII: Diseases that May Affect Plant Appearance

Hemp

Sclerotinia
- The symptoms include premature ripening and pale-grey or white lesions on stems, branches and pods. Sclerotia form within the stems, branches and pods. Severely infected crops frequently lodge, shatter at swathing, and make swathing more time consuming.

Flax

Aster Yellows
- The symptoms of aster yellows infection in flax are easy to recognize and are most conspicuous during and after flowering. Leaves in the upper half of affected shoots are a bright yellow and do not turn brown. Flower parts all become leaf like and are greenish yellow. Healthy and diseased shoots may occur on the same plant. Severely diseased plants are stunted.
Crinkle
- Crinkle in flax is characterized by stunting, reduced tillering, puckering of leaves and reduced seed production, although flowers may appear normal.
Phialophora Yellows
- Symptoms appear near flowering time when leaves turn a dull, light green. Large areas of the leaf soon turn dull yellow, usually starting at the apex and leaf margins and extending inwards. The vascular tissue turns brown. Symptoms develop first on the lower leaves and then on leaves higher up the stem. Severely diseased plants are stunted and flower heads may be sterile.

Buckwheat

Downy Mildew
- Symptoms can be seen at all growth stages. Large chlorotic lesions and stunting are characteristic symptoms.

Canaryseed

Septoria Leaf Mottle
- Lower leaves that have been shaded by a dense canopy may have a distinctive symptom - "green islands". Green islands are infected spots that remain green as the rest of the leaf yellows. Close inspection of the diseased area or discoloured leaf tips will reveal a large number of pycnidia (small black spore-producing bodies) that look like pepper sprinkled on the leaf. A magnifying glass will assist in identifying pycnidia that are embedded within the leaf. Under wet conditions, pycnidia ooze golden brown globs of spores that spread to healthy leaves by rain splash. In severe infestations, the pycnidia can cover the entire plant including the head

Appendix VIII: Descriptions and Diagrams of Special Crop Species

Safflower

Safflower, a member of the Asteraceae family, is a branching, thistle like herbaceous plant with numerous spines on it's leaves and bracts. It produces a white achene which is usually smooth and may or may not come with tufts of hair on the end adjacent to the plant. Stems elongate quickly and branch extensively with the angle of the branching ranging from thirty to seventy degrees. Each stem has a flower capitulum, enclosed by clasping bracts which are usually spiny.

Flowering begins in the outer circle of florets and moves towards the center of the capitulum. Total bloom can last up to four weeks or more depending on the growing conditions. Shades of orange, yellow and red flowers are produced early in bloom and become darker with maturity. It is possible for white flowers to develop but it does not occur on a regular basis.

Leaf sizes vary greatly depending on the environment and the variety being grown. Leaf sizes can range from 2.5 - 5.0 cm wide and from 10 - 15 cm long. Lower leaves are deeply serrated and generally are spineless. Further up the stem, the leaves develop strong hard spines by full flowering. Some varieties have been developed which are free of spines.

When inspecting safflower, inspection staff should protect themselves from the sharp spines on the plants by wearing an extra layer of clothing and proper foot attire.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Plant growth habit
Plant height
Leaf length/shape
Leaf margins
Leaf colour
Flower primary head shape
Primary head diameter
Flower colour
Flowering time
Spines on Outer Involucral Bracts
Spine Location
Seed colour
Seed shape

Hemp

Hemp varieties may be dioecious with separate male and female plants, unisexual hybrids with sterile male and fertile female flowers on the same plant or monoecious with both male and female flowers on the same plant,

In male flowers, five petals make up the calyx and may be yellow, white or green in colour. They hang down and five stamens emerge. Male plants flower ten to fourteen days earlier than female or monoecious plants. Male plants increase in height quicker than the female and monoecious plants. Male plants also have fewer leaves near the top. After pollen shedding, the male plant dies.

The flowering shoot of the female plant (and the female portion of the monoecious plant) is leafy and compact. The tiny female flower is hidden within the bract and two tiny styles emerge when the flower is ready for pollination. In monecious plants, the female flowers on a given branch open first, followed by the opening of the male flowers on the tips of the same branch.

Monoecious varieties of hemp also contain varying numbers of intersexual plants, i.e., plants that are neither male, female or truly monoecious. Intersexual plants may complicate inspections of industrial hemp crops since they have both female and male flowers but usually the male flowers greatly outnumber the female flowers.

Since hemp is a heavy pollinator, inspection staff may choose to take precaution when conducting the inspection by wearing a mask.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Plant height
Flowering type
Flowering date
Sex expression in dioecious types
Degree of branching
Stem internode length*
Stem thickness and colour*
Anthocyanin presence in male flowers
Leaf size and colour*
Avg. no. leaflets/leaf*
Middle leaflet length and width*
Leaf colour
Presence and intensity of anthocyanin in leaf and leaf stalk*

*These observations should be made at the centre third of the plant

Flax

Flax is an annual plant that grows to a height of 40 to 91 cm (16 to 36 in.), depending on variety, plant density, soil fertility and available moisture. Flax is self-pollinating, but from 0.3 to 2% outcrossing may occur under normal circumstances. Insects are the primary agents of outcrossing. The life cycle of the flax plant consists of a 45 to 60 day vegetative period, a 15 to 25 day flowering period and a maturation period of 30 to 40 days). Water stress, high temperature and disease can shorten any of these growth periods. Although there is a period of intense flowering, a small number of flowers may continue to appear right up to maturity. During the ripening process, under high soil moisture and fertility, stems may remain green and new growth may occur leading to a second period of intense flowering.

The flax plant has one main stem, but two or more branches (tillers) may develop from the base of the plant when plant density is low and soil nitrogen is high. The main stem and branches give rise to a multi-branched, irregular arrangement of flowers. Flower opening begins shortly after sunrise on clear, warm days and petals are shed in the early afternoon. The flower parts, (petals, sepals and anthers) all occur in units of five.

Flax varieties may be distinguished by the colour of the flower parts which can range from a dark to a very light blue, white or pale pink. The anthers are a shade of blue or are yellow. The style and filaments that bear the anthers are blue or colourless.

The mature fruit of the flax plant is a dry boll or capsule. Ripening of the boll begins 20 to 25 days after flowering. The boll has five segments which are divided by a wall (septum). Each segment produces two seeds separated by a low partition called a "false septum", whose margin may be hairy or smooth, depending on the variety. With complete seed set, the boll contains ten seeds, though an average of six to eight seeds per boll is usual. When ripe, the bolls of Canadian varieties are slightly gaping, that is, the boll opens at the apex and the five segments separate slightly along the margin. The bolls rarely open so far as to allow the seeds to fall out.

Flax seeds are flat, oval, and are pointed at one end. A thousand seeds weigh from about 5 to 7 g (less than 1 oz.), depending on variety and growing conditions. Seed of different varieties range in colour from light to dark reddish brown or yellow. Mottled seed, a combination of yellow and brown on the same seed, is the result of external, environmental conditions and is not an inherited characteristic. The seed is covered with a coating (mucilage) that gives it a high shine and causes the seed to become sticky when wet. At times, this mucilage absorbs moisture from the air, causing the mature seeds to stick to the boll surface. This removes the shine on the seeds, giving them a scabby appearance which results in a reduced grade.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Hypocotyl anthocyanin
Plant height
Flower shape
Corolla size
Petal length/width/colour
Sepal dotting
Filament tip colour
Filament base colour
Anther colour
Style tip and base colours
Capsule size
Ciliation of false septa
Seed colour

Buckwheat

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) likely originated in central and western China and was brought to Europe during the Middle Ages. It is not a member of the grass family and thus is not a "true" cereal. The erect plant grows from 2 to 5 feet and has heart-shaped leaves and brown, gray-brown or black triangular seeds. Buckwheat performs best in cool, moist climates. It has a short growing period of 80 to 90 days. Because its growth habit is indeterminate, its seed crop does not mature all at one time.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Stem colour
Stem thickness
Leaf size
Leaf shape
Leaf colour
Plant height
Flower colour
Terminal inflorescence density
Seed colour
Seed shape

Sorghum

Sorghum plants range in height from 61 cm to 6 m. The solid stalks are coarse, and vary in diameter from 1 to 5 cm. The stalks are coarse, juicy or pithy, sweet or nonsweet. Each plant has 7 to 20 nodes and internodes. A leaf sheath arises from each node, and in dwarf varieties the sheaths overlap. Leaf blades arise from each leaf sheath, arranged on opposite sides of the stalk, resulting in an alternate leaf arrangement. Leaves are similar in shape to those of corn, but are generally narrower and there is great variation in leaf length and width among varieties.

Sorghum has an extensive, fine and fibrous root system enabling it to extract more moisture from the soil and therefore allowing it to avoid or reduce drought stress. Some varieties are suited to as little as 25 cm of seasonal rainfall.

Sorghum is a self-pollinated crop with no known barriers to cross-fertilization. Cross pollination occurs at a rate ranging from 2 to 35 % and averages at about 5 to 6. Cross pollination is achieved by wind and air currents.

Grain is borne on a branched, terminal panicle that ranges from compact to loose to open. Seed branches arise in whorls and terminate in spikelets containing paired florets. The fertile sessile spikelet has two outer glumes, a sterile lower floret and a fertile upper floret. The sterile floret is able to produce pollen.

Fertile florets contain 3 stamens and an ovary with two long styles and feathery stigmas arising in a membranous lemma and palea. An awn, if present, arises from the lemma of the fertile floret. At the base of the floret are two lodiculae. The glumes, enclosing the spikelets may be black, red brown or straw-coloured.

Flowering proceeds from the top of the panicle downward over a four to seven day period. Stigmas remain receptive for up to two days and from 5 to 16 days if unpollinated, depending on environmental conditions. Cool, wet weather delays flowering.

Between 800 and 3 000 kernels are carried on a single panicle. Grain is small in size and varies from 2.36 to 4.29 mm in diameter. Seeds from a single panicle may vary up to 10 % in weight according to their position at the top, middle or bottom portions of the panicle. For some hybrids the top kernels are larger, for others the bottom kernels are larger.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Flowering date
Plant height
Compactness of head
Maturity date
Leaf size
Presence of awns
Seed colour

Pearl Millet

The term millet is broadly applied to over 140 species belonging to the genus Pennisetum. The name is a compound form of the Latin words meaning farther and bristle, a term that describes the floral aspects of the spike of some millet species.

Pearl millet is a robust, very rapid growing, erect, tropical, annual, cross pollinated bunch grass. It is an extremely variable species. Culms are solid and pithy and the plants are generally 0.5 to 5 m in height. Culms may be thick or slender, simple or branched. Plant parts such as the sheath, leaves, and nodes may be smooth or hairy and range in colour from green, purple, and red to golden yellow.

Plants usually have six to 12 internodes with a leaf sheath arising from each node, nine internodes being most common. The initial above-ground internode is the shortest, the uppermost or peduncle the longest. In addition to the above-ground internodes there is a group of very closely spaced internodes underground, giving rise to primary tillers.

Leaf sheaths are split and have a prominent ligule (5 mm) at the juncture of the leaf sheath and blade. Leaf blades are up to 1.5 m (5ft) long and 7 cm wide and long and pointed with small saw like teeth on the margins. Leaves have a prominent midrib, often pubescent throughout. The inflorescence of pearl millet consists of a single, terminal, dense, cylindrical, spikelike ear somewhat tapering toward the tip. The head is a mostly unbranched false spike ranging in length from 2.5 to 205 cm and in width from 0.8 to 5.5 cm. A rosette of bracts consisting of bristles and spikelets united at the base and known as an involucre subtends a flower cluster arising from the central rachis. Involucre bracts may drop off or persist at maturity. The involucre itself is borne on stalks about 2.5 cm in length and exhibits fine hairs to finger like projections or bristles. One to nine fertile spikelets, 3 to 7 mm long and bourne on a 2 mm long pedicels or rachillae, are present in each involucre. A single spikelet is really a secondary spike having one upper and one lower floret. The lower floret is staminate or sterile; the upper perfect or fertile floret has three anthers and a pistil with two feathery stylar branches enclosed between the lemma and the palea. The anthers are large enough for effective cross-pollination.

Under natural conditions, pearl millet can self-pollinate when one tiller head that reaches anthesis before other tillers on the same plant. Self-pollination can occur at a rate up to 31%. On large heads, later-emerging stigmas may be pollinated by anthers on the same head, as pollen is shed over a four-to seven day period on one head. Stigmas remain receptive for three days, and pollination is accomplished mainly by wind.

Generally, one day after the stigmas have emerged, the anthers start emerging from the centre of the head toward the tip. Anthers emerge in two distinct waves. The first wave involves the perfect flowers and the second involves staminate flowers.

Pearl millet anthers have a tuft of fine hair on their tips. Their function is believed to be a way of reducing the speed of anther release. Millet pollen remains viable for an extended period up to seven hours.

Flowering of plants with many tillers occurs on a 7 to 21 day period. Stigmas emerge when mature, regardless whether or not the head has emerged from the leaf sheath thereby restricting seed set because of lack of pollination. Anthesis starts from the upper third of the head and proceeds towards the base.

Seeds range in colour from light gray, deep gray, and pearly amber to deep yellow and purple. Most common seeds are yellowish gray with a reddish tinge on the embryo.

Seed is smaller than corn, but size is greatly variable. Seeds are typically obovoid, 3 to 4 mm long and 2.25 mm wide. Seed protrude from the lemma and palea at maturity, making them susceptible to damage from birds. At maturity, the spike changes from green to maturity.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Flower size, branching and density
Flowering date
Plant height
Stem colour and branching
Flag leaf sheath length and pubescence
Flag leaf blade length and pubescence
Maturity date

Canaryseed

Canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis), or annual canarygrass, is a major component of feed mixtures for caged and wild birds. The seedlings resemble green foxtail or corn seedlings, are finely leafed, and purple to red at the base of the stem. Mature plants are approximately 1 m in height and have small compact heads. Tiny, sharp hairs made of silica at the base of the seed of older varieties make canaryseed dust very irritating to the skin during harvest and handling.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Leaf length and width
Inflorescence length and width
Plant height
Maturity date
Pubescence of lemma, palea and glumes

Sunflower

Sunflower is a member of the Asteraceae or Composite family and the genus Helianthus comprises both herbaceous and perennial species. Sunflowers are tall annuals. Modern cultivated varieties of sunflower reach a plant height of between 1.5 and 2.5 m at flowering and have strong taproots, from which deeply-penetrating lateral roots develop. There is one apical inflorescence on a stem of 20-30 leaves. The stem is hairy and becomes very fibrous as the plant matures. Leaves are large, dark green and roughly heart shaped, and they have a wrinkled surface and prominent veins. The leaves are individually stalked and arranged round the stem in such a fashion that light interception is maximised. The flower head typically has a maximum diameter of 15-30 cm. The head is composed of 1000 to 2000 individual flowers joined to a receptacle. The flowers around the circumference are ligulate ray flowers that do not have stamens or pistils. The remaining flowers are disk flowers, which are arranged in arcs radiating from the centre of the head. Varietal differences in maturity are usually associated with changes in vegetative period before the head is visible.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Hypocotyl anthocyanin
Leaf size/shape
Leaf number
Leaf colour
Leaf blistering
Leaf attitude
Petiole size
Plant height
Branching type
Head shape/number
Head angle at maturity
Flower bract pubescence
Flower bract shape/size
Ray flower number/shape/colour

Tobacco

The tobacco plant grows from 1 to 3 m in height and produces 10 to 20 leaves from its central stalk. Leaves are oval to heart-shaped to elliptic and more grow toward the base. Flowers are perfect, large, rose-pink and have swollen corolla tubes and downy undersides.

It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Plant shape
Leaf shape, length and width
Leaf profile (straight or curved)
Leaf tip shape
Inflorescence shape
Plant height
No. of overturned leaves
Average no. leaves per plant
Flowering date
Degree of suckering

Camelina

Camelina (Camelina sativa), a cruciferous crop, is grown for oil used both for cooking and fuel purposes. Common names for this species include false flax, large seeded false flax, linseed dodder and gold-of-pleasure. Both spring and winter types exist.

Camelina plants are highly branched and reach 0.3 to 1 m in height. Plants produce many small pale yellow or greenish yellow flowers consisting of four petals. Seed pods are approximately 0.6 cm long and the seeds are very small, pale yellow-brown, oblong and rough with a ridged surface. Seed oil content ranges from 30-40%.

This species is adapted to short season, cool climates where excessive heat during flowering does not occur.

Camelina is currently considered a secondary noxious weed and Camelina seed that makes good soil contact after harvest usually germinates within 2-3 weeks following the first significant rain. Volunteer Camelina that is not controlled with fall chemfallow operations may be problematic in subsequent crops if broadleaf herbicides are not applied in the year after Camelina crop production.

Distinguishing characteristics:

oil content
oil composition
flowering date
maturity date
seed size
yield
disease resistance
lodging resistance

Niger

Niger (Guizotia abyssinica) is a leafy annual that grows to a height of approximately 1 m. The serrated leaves are lanceolate to oblong and are approximately 10 cm long. The seed may be cultivated for edible oil or for use in bird seed.

Coriander

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual plant with an erect branching stem that grows to a height of 0.5 - 1 m. Both small seeded and large seeded types are grown in Canada, although the large seeded type predominates due to earlier maturity.

There are several diseases that affect the physical appearance of coriander. Aster yellows will cause chlorosis and malformed flowers. Infected plants will often be taller than healthy plants.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a self-pollinated annual legume grown as a spice or forage. The plant is erect, 30-60 cm in height with a smooth hollow stem. Alternate single trifoliate leaves are borne on a short petiole with two small stipules. The leaves are ovate and slightly toothed. The flowers may be creamy white or purple-tinged and develop in the leaf axils singly or in pairs. Pods, each bearing 10-20 seeds, are brown, narrow and sickle shaped with a sharp beak.

The seeds are irregularly rectangular in shape and approx 5 mm x 2.5 mm in size. The seed coat ranges in colour from translucent in white flowered plants to greenish brown in purplish flowered types.