7 Pa. Code § 115.462

Current through Register Vol. 55, No. 1, January 4, 2025

Section 115.462 - Minimum seed standards for interagency certification of turfgrass seed

(a) Turfgrass mixtures intended for use in this Commonwealth, certified sod and other States-certified sod must meet the following requirements:

(1) Component lots shall be those designated as sod quality by the State-of-origin; the minimum seed standards found in § 115.321 (relating to preplanting); or the standards required by the state into which the mixture is to be shipped.

(2) Varieties and mixtures of varieties may be approved for use by the state in which they are to be shipped.

(3) It is the responsibility of the conditioner to inform the Department that a certain mixture is to comply with a certain states' standards.

(4) The seed analysis tag must bear the statement "Eligible for Certified Sod," when appropriate.

(b) For certified mixtures made for sod growers, other than those in subsection (a), the components used shall be sod quality.

(c) The components for all other mixtures must comply with the following seed standards:

Kind	Min. Purity	Max. Other Varieties	Min. Germ	Max. Other Crop*	Max. Weed+
Kentucky Bluegrass	96%	2%	80%	.25%	.2%
Red Fescues	97%	2%	85%	.25%	.2%
Hard Fescues	97%	2%	85%	.25%	.2%
Tall Fescue	97%	2%	85%	.25%	.2%
Perennial Ryegrass	97%	2%	85%	.50%	.2%
Bentgrass**	98%	3%	85%	.25%	.2%
Rough Bluegrass	96%	2%	80%	.25%	.2%

* Up to 18 seeds per pound is the maximum amount of the following species: Annual bluegrass (Poa annua), Big Bluegrass (Poa ampla), Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis), Meadow fescue (Festuca elatior), Tall Fescue (F, arundinacea-except in lots containing tall fescue), Ryegrass (Lolium spp.-except in lots containing ryegrass), Bentgrass (Agrostis spp.-except in lots containing bentgrass), Timothy (Phleum pratense), Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis), Wild oat (Avena fatua), Foxtail (Setaria spp.) Panicum spp., Nutsedge (Cyperus spp.), Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), Velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus), Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata). Up to 90 seeds per pound is the maximum amount permitted of the following objectionable weed seeds; Dock and Sorrel (Rumex spp.), Plantain (Plantago spp.), Black medic (Medicago lupulina), Chickweeds (Cerastium spp. and Stellaria spp.), Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Wild carrot (Daucus carota), Speedwell (Veronica spp.), Spurge (Euphorbia spp.), Wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Clover (Trifolium spp.). In addition, no noxious weed seeds are permitted.

** Bentgrass purity and germination standards may be 96% minimum pure seed and 80% germination for specific varieties as determined by the certifying agency of the state of origin.

(d) In an emergency, and at the discretion of the Department, seed lots failing to meet these standards for other than genetic reasons may be used for interagency certified mixtures. Use of those lots shall be made only when the Department determines that there is a serious shortage of seed meeting these standards.

7 Pa. Code § 115.462