Md. Code Regs. 15.08.04.10

Current through Register Vol. 52, No. 1, January 10, 2025

Section 15.08.04.10 - Certification Regulations for Specific Types of Turf Grass

A. Cultivated Turf Grass.

(1) Requirements for Seed.

(a) The participant shall:

(i) Use the seed of the Foundation, Registered, or Certified class, as determined by the state of origin and approved by the Department.

(ii) Use the seed cultivars and composition that are acceptable to the Department.

(iii) Use seed of a Maryland Interagency Certified Mixture. The participant may plant individual components, if each individual component has been sampled, tested, and approved by the Department before being planted.

(iv) Handle the seed so as to maintain satisfactory genetic identity and purity, as required by the Department.

(b) Minimum seed standards for cultivated turf grass production are as follows:

Kind	Minimum Purity	Minimum Germination	Maximum* Other Crop Seed	Maximum** Weed Seed	Lawn and Turf** Noxious Weed Seed
Bentgrass	98.5%	90%	0.01%	0.01%	None
Kentucky Bluegrass	98%	85%	0.1%	0.1%	None
Fine Fescue****	98%	85%	0.1%	0.1%	None
Tall Fescue	98%	85%	0.1%	0.1%	None

*Off-type or types may not exceed 2% for any one variety of Kentucky bluegrass.

*A maximum of 90 Canada bluegrass per pound permitted in Kentucky bluegrass only. None permitted in other kinds.

*A maximum of 30 "ryegrass" per pound permitted in tall fescue only. None permitted in any other kinds. An information line shall be included on the analysis tag, stating number of "ryegrass" found per pound. If no "ryegrass" is found in the seed test conducted by the Department, an information line may be left off or stated as "ryegrass-none found".

*Smooth brome (Bromus inermis)-none permitted.

**Shall be free of cheat and chess (Bromus spp.), chickweed, (Cerastium spp. and Stellaria media), crabgrass (Digitaria spp.), foxtail (Setaria spp.), goosegrass (Eleusine indica), nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi), nutsedge (Cyperus spp.), panicum (Panicum spp.).

****COMAR 15.08.01.05A-C.

****Includes red fescue, Chewings fescue, hard fescue, and sheep fescue.

(c) In an emergency, and at the discretion of the Department, seed lots failing to meet the standards in §A of this regulation for other than genetic purity may be used for certified production only when the Department determines in writing that there exists a serious shortage of seed.

(d) Minimum standards for kinds of seeds not listed in §A(1)(b) of this regulation shall be determined by the Department.

(2) Certified Turf Grass shall be free of all grassy and broadleaf weeds, be relatively free of injurious insects, diseases, and nematodes, and show good esthetic appearance.

(3) Isolation.

(a) The participant shall use a minimum of 10 feet between each field of a different kind or variety, or between fields of certified and noncertified sod, unless a natural barrier, such as a fence or ditch, is present.

(b) Failure to provide minimum isolation shall result in field loss of not less than 5 feet past the last visible contamination.

B. Vegetatively Propagated Turf Grass.

(1) Eligibility Requirements for Establishment Stock.

(a) The participant shall:

(i) Use Breeder or Foundation stock, inspected and approved by the state of origin, to meet the minimum varietal and mechanical purities of the specific class;

(ii) Use a single strain or variety acceptable to the Department;

(iii) Handle the stock so as to maintain satisfactory genetic identity and purity, as required by the Department;

(iv) Grow only one variety of a given species on a farm, unless written permission is obtained from the Department before planting;

(v) Have all production of a specific variety on a farm inspected for certification.

(b) Minimum stock standards for vegetatively propagated turf grass production are as follows:

Class	Kinds	Other Varieties	Other Turfgrasses	Weeds	Turf**** Noxious Weeds
Breeder	Bermudagrass	None	None	None	None
Breeder	Zoysia	None	None	None	None
Foundation	Bermudagrass	0.05%*	0.05%**	0.02%***	None
Foundation	Zoysia	0.05%*	0.05%**	0.02%***	None

______

* 0.05% or 1 per square foot, whichever is less.

** Shall be free of bentgrass (Agrostis spp.), redtop (Agrostis gigantea), rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis), ryegrass (Lolium spp.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea).

*** Shall be free of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), cheat and chess (Bromus spp.), chickweed (Stellaria media), clover (Trifolium spp.), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), panicum (Panicum spp.), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), timothy (Phleum pratensis), velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus), wild garlic and wild onion (Allium spp.).

**** COMAR 15.08.01.05A _C

(c) For Foundation stock production (from Breeder stock), the participant shall use land that has been:

(i) Free of any strain of vegetatively propagated grass for at least 3 years; and

(ii) Treated with a fumigant acceptable to the Department.

(d) Minimum standards for other kinds not listed in §B(1)(b), of this regulation, shall be designated by the Department.

(e) If the participant elects to backfill an area where soil was removed in harvesting operations, the participant shall use sterilized soil.

(f) For a field to maintain certification it must remain in the turf grass certification program continuously in accordance with Regulation .03A(3) of this chapter.

(2) Certified turf grass shall:

(a) Be free of grassy and broadleaf weeds;

(b) Be relatively free of injurious insects, disease, and nematodes; and

(c) Show good esthetic appearance.

(3) Isolation.

(a) The participant shall use a minimum of 40 feet between each field of a different kind or variety, unless a natural barrier, such as a fence or ditch, is present. If this barrier exists, the participant may reduce the minimum distance to 20 feet.

(b) Failure to provide minimum isolation shall result in field loss of not less than 10 feet past the last visible contamination.

Md. Code Regs. 15.08.04.10

Regulation .10A amended effective October 2, 2000 (27:19 Md. R. 1729)
Regulation .10A, B amended effective October 18, 2010 (37:21 Md. R. 1437)