KENYA  STANDARD                              DKS 692 : 2023  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Seeds  for solanaceous        vegetable  crops   - 
Requirements for certification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2023                                                                                                              Second Edition 2023  
 ICS 67 .080  
  
 
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  
 
 
 
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 6 of  the  Copyright  Act, Cap. 130 of  the Laws  of  Kenya,  copyright  subsists  
in allKenya Standards and except as provided under section 7 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.  
 
Permission  may be conditional  on an appropriate  royalty  payment.  
 
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is amended  or revised.  The number  and date of the standard  should  therefore  be clearly  identified.  
 
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ISBN  9966 -19-594-7  
  
KENYA  STANDARD  DKS 01-692:  
2023  
ICS 67.080  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
seeds  for solanaceous  vegetable  crops - 
Requirements for certification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
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DKS  692:2023  ©KEBS  
 
P R E F A C E 
This Kenya  Standard  for Seeds  for solanacaous  vegetable  crops  was prepared  by the Propagation  Material  
Technical  Committee  with the guidance  of the Standards project committee . 
 
The standard specifies minimum field requirement in actual production and seed quality requirements. The  
standard has been revised to accommodate recent developments in the seed industry, the changes in the 
seed regulations  and to protect the  consumers  and other  stakeholders.  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following 
documents:  Minimum  seed  certification  standard,  United  States.  
International Crop Improvement Association, Publication 
No. 21.  MS 3.71 Specification  for vegetable  seeds  for 
planting.  
Seed  and Plant  Varieties  Act, Cap.  326 of the Laws  of Kenya.  
 
Acknowledgement  is hereby  made  for the assistance  derived  from these  sources.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
2  
  
©KEBS  DKS 692:2023  
 
 
KENYA STANDARD                                         DKS 692 :2023  
 
 
Seeds for solanaceous vegetable crops  -requirements for 
certification  
 
 
 
1. Scope  
 
This Kenya  standard  prescribes  requirements  for  certification for seeds  of 
solanacoeous  vegetable  crops  that are locally  produced  or imported.  
 
 
This standard  applies to seeds of the vegetable  crops  in the solanaceous  family  shown  
in Table  1. 
                  Table 1. Vegetables in the Solanacea family   
 
 Common  Name  Botanical  Name  
(i) Eggplant/brinjal/aubergine  Solanum melongena  
(ii) Sweet  pepper  Capscicum  annum  
(iii) Chili Capsccum frutescence  
(iv) Tomato  Lycopersicum  esculentum  
v)  Black night shade   Solanum nigrum  
v1)  Gooseberry  Physalis peruviana L  
 
2. Normative  references  
 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) 
applies.  
International Seed Testing Association ISTA Rules  
OECD, Seed Schemes; Guidelines for Control Plot Tests and Field Inspection of Seed Crops  
OECD, Schemes for Varietal Certification or the Control of Seed Moving in the International Trade  
Seeds and plant varieties Act - Cap 326 ( seeds regulations 2016)  
Environmental Management and Coordination (Amendment) Act  
 
3Terms and definitions  
For the purpose of this standard the  terms and definitions in KS 790 shall apply.  
  
 4  General requirements  
4.1 General  
The seed companies and the seed growers of  solaneacea  seed shall be registered by the 
Designated National Authority.  
Key parameters required to implement this standard are the variety descriptors, the genetic purity of 
the seed sown, the field and laboratory requirements and the post -control tests.  
4.2 Eligible varieties  
4.2.1 Varieties eligible for seed certification shall be those that have been examined, tested and 
registered in the national list of varieties/variety catalogue.  
4.2.2 The national seed certification authority shall keep the official descriptors of the varieties in hard 
and electronic copies.  
 
4.3 Application for seed field Inspection  
4.3.1 registered growers will make applications for seed field inspection to the certification Authority 
by filling in the prescribed form;  
 The minimum information for an application for certification of a Solanaceous seed field shall 
include the following:  
a) name, address and contact details of the seed grower;  
b) crop and variety to be sown;  
c) physical location;  
d) area and reference number of the field, and its cropping history for the past two cropping 
seasons;  
e) class of seed to be produced; and  
f) registration number of the seed grower  
g) proof of origin of the seed planted.  
4.3.2 Information and records related to the previous cropping history, origin of seed planted, and 
field inspections shall be kept and used for certification to ensure full traceability of quality, genetic 
identity and purity of the seed harvested.  
4.3.3 The inspection of seed crops shall be done in accordance with OECD Seed Schemes; 
Guidelines for Control Plot Tests and Field Inspection of Seed Crops.  
4.3.4 The seed lot shall be sampled and tested in an official or authorized laboratory. The sampling 
and testing of seed lots shall be done in accordance with the relevant procedures described in the 
ISTA rules.  
4.3.5 A seed lot that conforms to the requirements set out in Table 3 shall be given a seed test 
certificate and a unique reference number to confirm its status under the certification scheme. One 
part of the seed sample shall be retained for sowing in a post -control plot in the next season, or  
 earlier if that can be achieved  
4.4 Seed classes  
For the purpose of this standard, the following classes of seed shall apply:  
• Breeders seed  
• Prebasic  
• Basic seed  
• certified seed: -C1-  1st generation  
▪ C2-2nd generation  
• Standard seed  
 5 FIELD  REQUIREMENTS  
 
5.1 The crop shall not be planted  on land on which  the same  kind of crop was grown  in the 
previous  two seasons.  
 
 
 
Table 2 : Isolation distance   for solanaecea vegetable crops  
 
S/NO   Name  of vegetable   Isolation distance  ( 
minimum - m) for Seed class  
 
 BR ,PB , 
B C1, C2,  Standa
rd 
(i) Eggplant/brinjal/aubergi
ne 100 50 50 
(ii) Sweet  pepper  100 50 50 
(iii) Chili 100 50 50 
(iv) Tomato( OPV )  100 50 50 
 Tomato ( Hybrid)  200 100 - 
v)  African  night shade  50 25 10 
vi) Goose berry  50  25 10 
 
 
 
 
5.2 Field  designated  for production  of seeds  shall have  no fruits  removed  for marketing  purposes.  
 
5.3 all off-type plants shall be removed at or before flowering. . Basic  seed  shall  be required  to 
be free  
of off-type.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
             Table 3 : Off types  requirements for solanaecea vegetable crops  
 
S/NO   Name  of vegetable   Offtypes of other 
cultivars for Seed class  ( 
max no per 100 plants )  
 
 BR 
,PB , 
B C1
,  C2 Standar
d 
(i) Eggplant/brinjal/aubergine  0 5   6 6 
(ii) Sweet  pepper  0 5 6 6 
(iii) Chili 0 5 6 6 
(iv) Tomato( OPV )  0 5 6 6 
 Tomato ( Hybrid)  0 5 6 6 
v)  African  night shade  0 5 6 6 
vi) Goose berry  0 5 6 6 
 
 
6.     Diseases requirements  
 
1.1.1   
6.1 Basic  seed  field shall be required  to be free of seed  borne  diseases  as indicated  in table  
2. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3  
  
DKS 692 :2023   
Table 4. Seed borne disease tolerance for Sola naecea vegetable crops  
 
Crop  Disease  Casual  Organism  
Disease  Maximum  Per Cent  Plants  
With  Disease ( % , Max)  
  Br, pb, 
Basic ,  C1,C2, Standard  
i) Tomato     
a) Bacterial  spot Xanthomonas  
vesic atoria 0.0 0.0 
b) Bacterial  canker  Corynebacterium  
michiganense  0.0 0.0 
c) Stem  canker   Didymella  
lycopersici  0.0 0.4 
d) Tomato  mosaic  virus   T . . M . V   0.0 0.2 
e) tomato brown rugose 
fruit virus  To BRFV  0.0 0.0 
ii) Eggplant     
 a) Eggplant,  blight  Phomopsis  
vexans  0.0 0.2 
b) Bacterial canker  Corynebacteriu
m 
michiganense  0.01 0.05 
c)Bacterial spot  Xanthomonas  
vesicatoria  0.01 0.05 
d)Early blight  Alternaria  
solani  0.01 0.05 
e) Stem canker/ stem 
rot Didymella  
lycopersici  0.01 0.05 
f) Tobacco Mosaic 
Virus  T.M.V  0.01 0.05 
g) Fruit rot   0.01 0.05 
iii) Sweet pepper     
 a) Pepper and  bacterial -
spot Xanthomonas  
vesictoria  0.0 0.2 
b) tomato brown rugose 
fruit virus  To BRFV  0.0 0.0 
iv) Chilli     
(a Chili 
blight  Phytophthora  
capsili  0.0 0.2 
b)  Tomato brown rugose fruit virus  To BRFV  0.0 0.0 
v) African  night shade     
a) Bacterial wilt  Ralstonia 
solanacearum.  0 0 
b) Early blight  Alternaria  
solani  0.01 0.02 
vi) Goose berry     
 
 
 
7 Laboratory  seed requirements   
  
   Seeds  shall comply  with the requirements  listed  in Table  3. 
 
 
 Table 5 Laboratory seed requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
9 Certificates  
9.1 The seed test certificate for a seed lot shall be issued by the national seed certification authority.  
9.2This certificate shall be valid for a period of 9 months.  
9.3 Carryover seed shall be re -sampled and retested for germination upon expiry of the validity period 
of certification. If the test result complies with the minimum requirements, a new test certificate shall 
be issued for the seed lot, which cancels the previously issued certificate and shall incl ude  reference 
to previously certified seed lot.  
 
 
5 Environment  
 
Cucurbit  seed  shall be produced  and handled  in an environment  complying  with the stipulations  of S/NO   Seed crop and Characteristic  Requirement  for all seed classes , %  
1 (i) i) Purity,  % min by weight  
  
a Tomato –  97  
b Eggplant –  96 
c Sweet pepper -  97 
d Chillis –  97 
e African night shade – 95 
2  
ii) Foreign matter, broken ,damaged 
seed,% max by weight   
a Tomato  3  
b Eggplant  4 
c Sweet pepper  3 
d Chillis   3 
e African night shade   5 
3 iii) Other crop seeds, ,% max by weight -  
 0 
4 iv) Germination, min % by weight   
a Sweet pepper    65 
b   chillies     65  
c   and eggplant    65 
d  African nightshade    50   
e Tomato    75 
5 v) Moisture content,  max ( for all the crops 
in table 1)   9    
 the Environmental Management and Co -ordination Act (EMCA) of the Laws of Kenya and in 
addition  conforming  to modern  production  technological  practices.  
 
 
10 Packaging and labelling  
10.1 All classes of seed that have been certified shall be packaged and labelled in accordance with 
prevailing national regulation s. 
10.2 If seeds are treated with any chemical or product harmful for human or animal consumption, the 
container shall carry a label stating the chemical or product used and warning of the health risks.  
10.3 The labels shall be prominent, indelible, legible ,uniquely serialized and fixed to the package by 
an authorized person in such a way that they cannot be destroyed or easily removed.  
10.4 The minimum labelling requirements shall include:  
i. name of the crop  
ii. species (Latin name);  
iii. variety name;  
iv. seed lot number;  
v. net weight;  
vi. seed treatment declaration (if applicable);  
         vi. logo of the national designated authority;  
        vii. name and address of certifying authority;  
       viii. seed class;  
        ix) germination percentage  
         x) percentage purity  
        xi) . name and address of the registered seed company under the provisions as stipulated by the 
National    designated authority  
 
         xii. statement of re -packing and re -labelling (if applicable)  
      xiii. statement stating “Not for human and animal consumption”.  
xiv) A declaration  shall  be made  on the genetic  modification  status  of the seeds  
 
Note : the label may also contain other information such as the test certificate number and the date of 
test where applicable  
10.5 All containers/bags shall be sealed in such a way that if they are opened illegally, that violation 
can be detected.   
 10.6 Repackaging and relabeling are authorized in the following cases:  
a) the national seed certification authority may authorize the re -packaging and re-labelling of a 
particular seed lot that is produced in another country, but shall retain the original label 
information of the producing country; and  
blending of a seed lot with other lots of the same variety and class (generation) is allowable if all seed 
lots of the blend have met the field and laboratory requirements for certification prior to blending. A 
new lot number shall be issued. Details of th e blended lots and their proportions shall be kept by the 
certifying authority for traceability  
 
11 Post -control tests  
The Post control tests shall be carried out in accordance with OECD Schemes for Varietal 
Certification or the Control of Seed Moving in the International Trade  
 
12 Sampling  and testing  
Sampling  and tests  shall  be carried  out in accordance  with the current  International  Seed  
Testing  Association  (ISTA)  procedures  and as  prescribed  by the seeds  and plant  varieties  act. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6  
   
   
 
KEBS  offers  the following  services:  KEBS  is mandated  to provide  Standardization,  
Metrology  and Conformity  Assessment  Services  
through:  KENYA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
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for use on products  that comply  with the minimum  
quality  requirements  prescribed  in Kenya  
standards.  It uses standards  as a benchmark  for 
quality  compliance  and aims at giving  
manufacturers  improved  market  access  and also 
giving  consumers  an assurance  of quality  for the 
products  bearing  the mark. 
 
 
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