Import Conditions Database - ICON

Import Conditions and Requirements for Seeds for Sowing - All Species

1. General Conditions for Seeds for Sowing

Importer's Responsibilities

a) It is the importers' responsibility to check State government/Local government requirements to ensure that the seed is permitted entry into that State.

b) Seed must be free of soil. Seed contaminated with soil discernible to the naked eye must be cleaned, re-exported or destroyed. Soil is not always readily visible, but 0^.1% has been adopted as the standard maximum tolerance.

c) Seed must be free of live insects, plant material (eg fruit pulp, straw, leaf or stem material) and animal material (eg faeces, feathers, droppings, animal remains).

d) Contamination with other restricted seeds must not exceed the tolerances in Table 1. below. There is a nil tolerance for prohibited seeds (Table 2.).

e) Seed must be packed in new containers which are clearly labelled with botanical names.

f) Seed is to be presented for quarantine inspection on arrival in Australia.

Quarantine Procedures

i) Seed is to be inspected on arrival and treated if necessary.

ii) Consignments may require ISTA sampling and analysis. It is not possible to provide comprehensive instructions that will cover every situation which may arise in dealing with the quarantine inspection and sampling of consignments of seeds, but the following may be used as a general guide:

a) Samples are to be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures.

b) Individual lines or lots of seed with a combined weight of 10 kgs or less, should be visually inspected for any contaminants. If contaminants are detected or suspected a sample is to be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed-testing laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

c) Individual lines or lots of seed with a combined weight over 10 kgs (ie 22 x 500 gm packets or 3 x 5 kg bags) should be sampled in accordance with ISTA procedures and the samples submitted to an AQIS-approved seed-testing laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

NOTE: There are exceptions to this rule. In the case of large seeds (ie seeds greater than 8mm in size eg bean seed, pea seed, pumpkin, watermelon, etc), Inspectors should draw samples and visually inspect them for contaminants. Samples need only be drawn and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed laboratory if contaminants are detected or suspected. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

d) Seed from New Zealand that is accompanied by acceptable seed analysis certificates do not require ISTA sampling and analysis. See Condition C7179 for further details.

Table 1. Restricted Seed Contamination Tolerances

(expressed as the maximum number of contaminant seeds per kilogram)

Seed	Tolerance	Seed	Tolerance
Agropyron spp.	35	Medicago falcata	60
Avena spp.	35	Medicago glutinosa	60
Brachiaria spp.	60	Medicago media	60
Cajanus spp.	60	Medicago sativa	60
Calopogonium spp.	35	Melilotus alba	60
Carthamus tinctorius	35	Melinis spp.	250
Cenchrus spp.	35	Onobrychis spp.	250
Centrosema spp.	60	Oryza sativa	5
Chloris spp.	35	Panicum spp.	250
Citrus spp.	Nil	Pennisetum spp.	125
Cyamopsis tetragonolobus	35	Phaseolus spp.	25
Desmodium spp.	45	Pueraria spp.	45
Digitaria spp.	125	Secale cereale	35
Eucalyptus spp.	Nil	Sesamum indicum	60
Glycine spp.	60	Setaria spp.	250
Gossypium spp.	Nil	Sorghum spp.	35
Hibiscus cannabinus	60	Stylosanthes spp.	35
Hordeum spp.	35	Triticum spp. (seed from Karnal bunt countries *)	Nil
Lablab purpureus	35	Triticum spp. (seed from non-Karnal bunt countries *)	35
Lactuca spp.	250	Vicia spp. (other than V. faba)	35
Leucaena spp.	25	Vicia faba	Nil
Linum usitatissimum	45	Vigna spp.	25
Lotononis spp.	250	x Triticosecale spp. (Triticale) (seed from Karnal bunt countries*)	Nil
Manihot esculenta	25	x Triticosecale spp. (Triticale) (seed from non-Karnal bunt countries*)	35
		Zea spp.	Nil

* NOTE: Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) is known to occur in the following countries: United States of America, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Iraq. Until further notice South Africa is to be included in this list.

There is a NIL TOLERANCE for Triticum spp. and x Triticosecale spp. seed found as a contaminant in consignments of seed exported from the above Karnal Bunt affected countries. Consignments found contaminated with Triticum spp. and x Triticosecale spp. must be either re-exported or destroyed.

CLEANING is NOT an option as Karnal Bunt spores may be transmitted by the contaminant seed host to other seed in the consignment. Cleaning the seed to remove the contaminant will not remove potential Karnal Bunt spores from the consignment.

Table 2. Nil Tolerance for Prohibited Seed

NOTE: Inspectors will note that the listing below does not include all weed seeds as the issue of tolerances for other weed seeds is still under consideration.

	SPECIES OF PLANTS
Item	Botanical name	Common name
1	Abrus precatorius	Crab's eye
2	Acroptilon repens	Creeping knapweed
3	Alhagi pseudalhagi	Camelthorn
4	Allium vineale	Crow Garlic
5	Alternanthera philoxeroides	Alligator weed
6	Alternanthera pungens	Khaki weed
7	Baccharis halimifolia	Groundsel bush
8	Bassia scoparia	Summer cypress, Fire Bush
9	Bromus commutatus	Hairy Chess
10	Cabomba caroliniana
11	Calotropis procera	Calotrope, Rubber tree or Rubber bush
12	Cardaria draba	Hoary cress or Whiteweed
13	Carduus nutans	Nodding Thistle
14	Carthamus glaucus	Glaucous Star thistle
15	Carthamus lanatus	Saffron Thistle
16	Carthamus leucocaulos	Glaucous Star Thistle
17	Cenchrus gracillimus
18	Centaurea solstitialis	St Barnaby's Thistle
19	Cestrum parqui	Green Cestrum or Green Poisonberry
20	Chondrilla juncea	Skeleton weed
21	Chromolaena odorata	Siam weed
22	Cirsium arvens	Perennial Thistle, Californian Thistle or Creeping Thistle
23	Convolvulus arvensis	Field Bindweed
24	Cyperus aromaticus	a sedge
25	Echium plantagineum	Paterson's Curse or Salvation Jane
26	Eichhornia crassipes	Water Hyacinth
27	Emex australis	Three cornered Jack or Doublegee
28	Euphorbia lathyris	Caper Spurge
29	Halogeton glomeratus.	Halogeton
30	Helianthus ciliaris	Texas Blueweed
31	Heliotropium amplexicaule	Blue Heliotrope
32	Hydrilla verticillata	Water Thyme or Hydrilla
33	Hypericum perforatum	St John's wort
34	Ibicella lutea	Yellowflower Devil's claw
35	Iva axillaris	Poverty weed
36	Kochia scoparia (see Bassia scoparia)
37	Lactuca pulchella	Blue Lettuce
38	Lagarosiphon major
39	Lantana camara	Common Lantana
40	Linaria dalmatica	Dalmation Toadflax
41	Malachra fasciata
42	Mimosa invisa
43	Mimosa pigra	Giant Sensitive plant
44	Myriophyllum aquaticum	Brazilian Water Milfoil or Parrot's Feather
45	Myriophyllum spicatum
46	Nassella trichotoma	Serrated Tussock
47	Oryza rufipogon	Red Rice or Wild Rice
48	Parthenium hysterophorus	Parthenium weed or Whitetop
49	Pennisetum macrourum	African Feather grass
50	Picnomon acarna	Soldier Thistle
51	Pistia stratiotes	Water Lettuce
52	Proboscidea louisianica	Purple flower Devil's claw
53	Rorippa austriaca	Austrian Field Cress
54	Sagittaria graminea	Sagittaria
55	Sagittaria montevidensis	Arrowhead
56	Senecio jacobaea	Ragwort
57	Senecio pterophorus	African Daisy
58	Setaria faberi	Giant Foxtail
59	Solanum carolinense	Carolina Horse Nettle
60	Solanum elaeagnifolium	Silverleaf Nightshade or White Horse Nettle
61	Sonchus arvensis	Corn Sowthistle
62	Sorghum almum	Columbus grass
63	Sorghum halepense	Johnson grass
64	Stipa brachychaeta	Espartillo
65	Stratiotes aloides
66	Taeniatherum caput-medusae	Medusa head
67	Toxicodendron radicans	Poison ivy
68	Wedelia glauca	Pascalia weed

	GENERA OF PLANTS
1	Aegilops	Goatgrass
2	Ambrosia	Ragweed
3	Amsinckia	Burrweed
4	Berberis	Barberry
5	Conium	includes Hemlock
6	Cuscuta	Dodder
7	Datura	Thornapple
8	Elodea
9	Harrisia
10	Helenium
11	Homeria	includes Cape Tulip
12	Mahonia
13	Opuntia	include Prickly Pear
14	Orobanche	Broomrape
15	Prosopis	Mesquite
16	Salvinia	Salvinia
17	Striga	Witchweeds
18	Trapa
19	Xanthium	Includes Bathurst and Noogoora Burrs
* All plants in the genus Cenchrus that have burrs.

2. Mixed Seeds

Packets of mixed seeds are not permitted entry due to the difficulties of inspecting them for contaminants. Importers wishing to import mixed seed packets must obtain prior approval from AQIS. All applications should be forwarded to Plant Programs Section, Canberra Office for assessment.

3. Genetically Modified Seeds

The importation of Genetically Modified seeds is prohibited unless accompanied by a valid import permit issued by the Canberra office. All permit applications must be forwarded to the Plant Programs Section, Canberra office, along with detailed information regarding the mode of genetic modification, to allow for a quarantine assessment of the species prior to importation.

4. Pelleted Seed

All consignments of permissible (ie not restricted by quarantine legislation) flower, vegetable, herb and pasture/forage seeds in pelleted form may be permitted entry provided that the pelleted seed was commercially produced and packaged and pelleting was carried out using inert material only.

In addition to the requirements specified above under General Conditions for Seeds for Sowing all consignments of pelleted seed are also subject to the following:

a) Pelleted Flower Seeds

i) All consignments are subject to inspection on arrival.

ii) A sample containing of up to a maximum of 50 seeds should be drawn from one container/tin/package selected at random from each line or lot of seed in the consignment.

iii) The sample should be de-pelleted and visually inspected for freedom from contaminants.

iv) If contaminants are detected or suspected, the consignment should be sampled in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed testing laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

b) Pelleted Vegetable, Herb and Pasture/Forage Seeds

For consignments with seed analysis certificates:

i) Each consignment should be accompanied by an acceptable seed analysis certificate covering the particular lots of seed or the line from which the line of seed originated and indicating purity and freedom from contaminants.

The following certificates would be acceptable: an ISTA International Orange or Blue certificate or a seed analysis certificate issued by a seed testing laboratory that conforms with the requirements outlined below.

All seed analysis certificates must:

- be endorsed that the sample has been officially drawn in accordance with ISTA rules from an identified seed lot;

- be endorsed that sample was analysed in accordance with ISTA rules;

- give the actual weight of the bulk sample and the working sample examined;

- give the botantical name and the number of each identified species of seed found in the sample (any identified genera or species are to be recorded as such); and

- give the percentage of soil particles found in the sample.

ii) A sample containing of up to a maximum of 50 seeds should be drawn from one container/tin/package selected at random from the consignment.

iii) The sample should be de-pelleted and visually inspected for freedom from contaminants.

iv) If any contaminants are detected or suspected a sample is to be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

For consignments without acceptable seed analysis certificates or no certificates:

i) For individual lines or lots with a combined weight not exceeding 10 kgs - samples(s) must be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and de-pelleted and visually inspected for freedom from contaminants. If any contaminants are detected or suspected another sample is to be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

ii) For individual lines or lots with a combined weight of more than 10 kgs - sample(s) must be drawn in accordance with ISTA procedures and submitted to an AQIS-approved seed laboratory for analysis. Consignment must be held under quarantine pending results of the analysis.

NOTE TO ALL INSPECTORS:

(i) Inspectors are to ensure that any packets that are opened for inspection are opened in such a manner that enables them to be re-sealed to prevent any further spillage of seed.

(ii) Inspectors are to ensure that all packets that have been opened are re-sealed.

(iii) Inspectors should not return any seed that has been de-pelleted to the packets from which they originated.

	Commodity:	Clivia spp.

	Scientific name:	Clivia spp.

	Country:	All countries

	End use:	Seeds for sowing

	Date printed:	Nov 25 2002

	Commodity name
	From country
	For end use