Product Forms and Specifications
INTRODUCTION
Vegetable growing has become a highly specialized and intensive activity. As a result of the everincreasing demand for better quality, vegetable growers and plant raisers require an improved quality ofthe basic material.
The demand for specific seed product forms and more information about seed quality has strongly
increased to better influence emergence and required number of plants.
Seed is a natural product. The often varying environmental conditions thus influence final results. It istherefore often not possible to give detailed information about emergence and other physical seedcharacteristics. To meet the wishes of clients as much as possible Bejo Zaden B.V. (hereinafter called‘Bejo’) has made up quality standards for the various seed categories.
The product specifications are not meant to be absolute minimum standards for delivery. If the quality
tests of Bejo indicate a lower quality-level than given in these specifications, Bejo will inform prospective
seed users. This communication is aimed at informing professional seed users about the quality they canexpect, so they can make their own assessment and decide if these seeds meet their requirements.
The product specifications for both germination and varietal purity of precision seeds and the seed healthrequirements are based upon ESA recommended standards.

PRODUCT FORMS
All seed meets the requirements for standard seed of the EU Council Directive 2002/55/EC.
Normal seedIn general, normal seed has not been subjected to special processes. It is sold by weight and/or by count,depending on the product.
Bejo Precision
Bejo Precision is precision seed. The most stringent quality standards are employed for Bejo Precision.
The seed has a uniform size and a high germination capacity. The ESA product specifications mentioned
in the table below are the basic standards for Bejo Precision.
Primed seed
The priming of seed comprises the activation of the germination process with the aim of ensuring that theseedlings will emerge more quickly and/or more uniformly after sowing. This process may also result in amore uniform crop and enables more accurate timing for weed control.
Pelleted seed
The pelleting of seed is a process in which small or irregularly shaped seeds are coated with an inert
material to make them round and uniform, in order to facilitate sowing. It is also possible to add beneficial
substances. For pelleted seed Bejo Precision seed is used.
Organic seedBejo is expanding the range of organically produced varieties. Many other varieties in the assortment areavailable as conventionally produced, non-chemically treated (NCT) seed. The only treatments to which
this seed has been subjected after harvest are physical and/or organic treatments.

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Bejo coating for organic/NCT (white)
Bejo has developed a white coating to facilitate sowing and for better visibility while controlling the drill
depth and sowing rate. This coating is applied to organic as well as non-chemically treated seed of mostof the crops that Bejo offers and is approved by NOP and EU.
Bejo Basic coating (green)
Bejo Basic coating is a film coating incorporating fungicides. These fungicides protect the seed fromseedling blight and soil fungi during germination. Basic coating is the standard Bejo seed coating.
Bejo Precision plus insecticide coating (red)Insecticide coating is an all-round film coating incorporating fungicides and an insecticide. This coating
considerably helps to reduce the use of crop protection agents. Insecticide coating provides reliable
protection at the start of the cultivation and helps to prevent population growth. It is available for a limited
number of crops.
Advice safe use fungicide and/or insecticide coated seed
When using fungicide and/or insecticide coated seed, you must take precautions for your own safety andthe protection of the environment. See “Advice safe use fungicide and/or insecticide coated seed” on ourwebsite www.bejo.com.

ESA PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS OF PRECISION SEED AND PELLETS (valid for EU memberstates)
The germination percentages mentioned are Bejo’s minimum required figures and made up according toISTA methods and tolerances, and are valid at the time of despatch.
Crop

Precision seed

Asparagus

germination

Brassica

85%

germination
seed size gradation

90%
0,25 mm

germination
germination
seed size gradation

80%
90%
0,50 mm

Bunching Onion

germination
seed size gradation

90%
0,25 mm

Carrotgermination
seed size gradation

85%
0,20 mm

Beetrootmonogerm
multigerm

Celery/Celeriac

germination

Chicory Witloof

Pellets

90%

90%

germination
seed size gradation

85%
0,25 mm

85%

Corn Saladgermination
seed size gradation

85%
0,25 mm

Courgette

germination

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CropPrecision seed

Pellets

Cucumbergermination92%

Eggplant

germination

90%

Endivegermination

90%

92%

Fennelgermination
seed size gradation

90%
0,20/0,50 mm

90%

Gherkingermination

LeekOP
F1

germination
germination
seed size gradation

88%
90%
85%
0,20/0,25 mm

90%
85%

95%
95%

Lettuce Butterhead, Batavia, Iceberg, Romaineother types

germination
germination

93%
93%

Melon

germination
germination

95%
90%

Charentais typeother types

Onion

germination
seed size gradation

90%
0,75 mm

Parsley

germination
seed size gradation

87%
0,20/0,25 mm

87%

88%

88%

Radicchio/Green Hearted Chicory

germination

Radishgermination
seed size gradation

92%
0,25 mm

Shallot

germination
seed size gradation

90%
0,75 mm

Spinachgermination
seed size gradation

85%
0,75 mm

Spinach Beetgermination
seed size gradation

90%
0,50 mm

Sweet/Hot pepper

germination

90%

Tomatogermination

92%

germination
germination90%85%

Watermelon

normal typeseedless type

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ESA PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS FOR VARIETAL PURITY* OF PRECISION SEED (valid for EUmember states)
Crop
Brassica
Courgette
CucumberGherkin
Eggplant
Lettuce Butterhead, Batavia, Iceberg, Romaine
other types
Melon
PepperTomato fresh market
processing
Watermelon

Minimum % varietal purity
for precision seeds
939799(excluding pollinators) 98
9898
95
98
9798
95
98

* Varietal purity is defined as the percentage of plants from a seed lot that meets the variety description.
SEED HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
In order to supply sufficiently healthy vegetable seeds and in order to meet the requirements ofEU Council Directive 2002/55/EC, Bejo uses various disease risk management strategies toprevent and control seed transmitted diseases. These may include and are not limited to seedhealth testing programs, protected seed production, field inspections, seed treatments and othereffective seed disinfection methods.
ISHI-Veg has developed the Manual of Seed Health Testing Methods, which includes state of theart seed health testing protocols. Bejo follows the ISHI-Veg recommended minimum sizes of arepresentative sample for seed health testing.
Information regarding the ISHI-Veg seed health test protocols and recommended minimum sample
sizes can be found at: http://www.worldseed.org/isf/ishi_vegetable.html

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