KENYA  STANDARD                               DKS 790: 2023 
ICS 01.040.65;  65.020.20  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Glossary  of terms  for seed   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS  2023 second  Edition  2023  
 
 
   
  
 
 
 
 
TECHNICAL  COMMITTEE  REPRESENTATION  
The following  organizations  were  represented  on the Technical  Committee:  
 
The University of Nairobi  
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization  
Kakuzi PLC  
Simlaw seed company  
Seed Trade Association of Kenya  
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services  
National Potato Council of Kenya  
Horticultural Crop Development Authority  
National Public Health Laboratory  
Ministry  of Agriculture  — Crop  Division  
Government Chemist ’s Department   
Kenya Bureau of Standards - Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
  
 DKS 790: 20 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION  OF KENYA  STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions  for 
improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards,  are 
welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of  Standards,  2023 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyr ight  subsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of  Standards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing  from the  
Managing  Director.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS 01.040.65;  65.020.20  
 
 
 
 
ii ©KEBS  2023 — All rights  reserved   
 D
K KENYA  STANDARD   KS 790: 
2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Glossary  of terms  for seed —  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
Head  Office:  P.O. Box 54974,  Nairobi -00200,  Tel.: (+254  020) 605490,  602350,  Fax: (+254  020) 604031  
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Coast  Region  Lake  Region  Rift Valley Region  
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Fax: (+254  057) 21814  Tel.: (+254  051) 210553,  210555  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foreword  
This Kenya Standard has been prepared by Propagation Materials Technical Committee under the guidance  
of Standards Project Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya  Bureau  of Standards.  
This standard  lists and defines  terminologies  used  in the seed  industry.  The development  of this standard  is 
aimed  at promoting  common  understanding  of terminologies  that relate  to the seed  industry.  
 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
The Seed  and Plant  Varieties  Act, Cap.  326 of the Laws  of Kenya.  
MS 3.71 Specification  for vegetable  seeds  for planting.  
Minimum  seed  certification  standard,  United  States.  
International  Crop  Improvement  Association,  Publication  No. 21. 
 
Acknowledgement  is hereby made for  the assistance  derived  from these  sources.  
 
 
 
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 DKS 790: 20 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
iv ©KEBS  2023 — All rights  reserved   
  
KENYA STANDARD                                                    DKS 790: 20 23 
 
Glossary  of terms  for seed   
1 Scope  
This Kenya Standard lists terminologies as used in seed industry and provides their definition in relation to  
methods  of production,  processing  and assessment  of seed  quality  for planting  purposes.  
 
 
2 Terms and d efinitions  
For the purposes  of this Kenya  Standard, the  following  terms and  definitions  shall apply:  
 
2.1 
agricultural  seed  
seeds  of  cereals , pulses, oil and nut crops, , ,  roots and tuber crops , fruit trees , beverage crops,  medicinal plants 
and herbs, pasture legumes , vegetables  fibre crops ,  forage, herbage grasses, lawn grass and flowers,  or any 
other  kinds  of seed commonly  recognized  
 
2.2 
basic  seed  
 
Progeny of breeders seed or pre basic seed.  
 
2.3 
breeder  
in relation to a plant variety, shall be the person who or institution which bred or discovered the variety or a  
person  who or institution  which  holds  the patent  of the variety  
 
2.4 
breeder  seed  (pre-basic seed)  
seed directly controlled  by the  originating plant breeding institution or person.  It includes all generations of  the 
breeding and selection process from the original parent material until the final generation which is  considered  
ready  for further  multiplication  as basic  seed  
 
2.5 
seed  class  
a category of seed depending on the generation of the parent seed. Seed classes are recognized as breeder  
seed,  pre basic ,  basic  seed  and  certified  seed   
 
2.6 
certified  seed  
 
seed that is produced from basic seed through one or two generations of multiplication  
 
 
2.7 
double  cross  hybrid  
the first generation  of a cross  between  two single  crosses  
 
2.8 
dressed  seed  
seed given an application of an approved chemical designed to reduce, control or repel disease organisms,  
insects  or any other  pests  which  attack  seeds  or seedlings  
 
©KEBS 2007  — All rights  reserved  1  
 DKS 790:2023  
 
 
2.10 
inbred  line 
a relatively  true breeding  strain  resulting  from at least  five successive  generations  of controlled  self- fertilization  
or of back  crossing  to a recurrent  parent  with selection  for desired  traits  
 
2.11 
inspected  commercial  crop  
crop which  is not eligible  for certification  due to unknown percentage purity  
 
2.12 
labels  
any tag, brand, pictorial mark or other description mark written, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed or  
impressed  on or attached  to a seed  package  and bearing  details  of the seed  
 
2.13 labelling  
 
The process  of affixing a tag or identification mark so as to ensure correct identification of any container of 
seed  
 
2.13 
Seed lot 
a quantity  of seeds  which is  identified by  the same number or other mark  and which has  been so handled     that 
each  portion  or container  is representative  of the whole  quantity  
 
2.14 
noxious  weeds  
 
 
weed species whose seeds are likely to be carried along with the seed during processing or has undesirable 
effects on the crop produced  
2.15 
off-types  
 
 
plant of the same species which does not exhibit the recognized and accepted habit and characteristics of the 
variety being grown  
2.16 
open  pollinated  seed  
seed  produced  as a result  of uncontrolled  pollination  
 
2.17 
percentage of germination  
the percentage  by number  of pure seeds  or clusters  or pellets  which  are capable  of producing  normal  
seedlings  under  optimal conditions  
2.18 
percentage of hard  seeds  
the percentage  of pure seeds  which  are incapable  of sprouting  promptly  because  their outer  structures  are 
impermeable  to water  
 
2.19 
percentage of  purity  
the percentage  by mass  of pure seeds  or of pure clusters  of seed  
 
purity  
the percentage by weight of pure seeds as determined by purity analysis in the seed laboratory  
 
2.20 
pure  germinating  seed   
  
 
the proportion of pure seed in a seed lot capable of germinating into a normal seedling under optimal 
germination conditions  
2.21 
true seed  
a mature embryo resulting from fertilization.  It does not include any vegetative material commonly referred to  
as ‘seed’  (e.g. seed  tubers,  setts,  cuttings,  apomitic  seeds  or grain  intended  for consumption  or processing)  
 
2.22 
seed  borne disease  
a disease  associated  with the seed  
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2.23 
seed  certification  
a process designed to secure, maintain and make available to the public, seed of superior performance as to  
ensure  genetic  identity  and acceptable  levels  of purity,  physical  conditions,  quality  and health  
 
2.24 
single  cross  hybrid  
the first generation  of a cross  of two inbred  lines 
 
2.25 
three -way cross hybrid  
the first generation  of a cross  between  single  cross  and an inbred  line 
 
2.26 
tree and shrub  seeds  
seeds  of woody  plants  handled  as commercial  or certified  planting  materials  for trees and  shrubs  
 
2.27 
variety  
a group  of cultivated  plants  which  are distinguished  by known  characteristics  (morphological,  physiological,  
cytological  or chemical)  which  when  reproduced (sexually  or asexually)  retain  their distinguishing features  
 
 
2.28 
vegetable  seed  
seed  of those  food crops  handled  as certified  planting  materials  for vegetable  crops  
 
2.29 
post control  
 
 Growing of plants from the seed lots which have been tested or certified to further determine and confirm varietal 
purity and freedom from disease infestation  
 
 
2. 30  
National Designated A uthority  (NDA)  
organization, or agency empowered by national legislation to administer the certification of seed cotton  
under this Standard.  
 
2.31 
inspection  
examination of plants, seeds , units of presentation, equipment or facilities by National certification  
Authority, to determine compliance with regulatory requirements.  
2.32 
generation  
the number of growing cycles since the first introduction in the field  
 
2.33 Objectionable  weeds  
 
These  include:  
 
a) Plants whose  seed  may contaminate  the crop-seed  
 
b) Plants  that may compete  with the crop 
  
 c) Plants  which  may harbour pests  and diseases  
 
d) Plants  that are difficult  to eradicate  once  established  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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