B 2703
Suppliment tal-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta Nru. 20,701, 17 ta’ Settembru , 2021
Taqsima B
____________________________________________________________________B 2703
L.N. 366 of 2021
PLANT QUARANTINE ACT
(CAP. 433)
Seeds of Agricultura l Plants and Vegetables (Amendment) 
Regulations, 2021
IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 32 of the Plant
Quarantine Act, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food a nd
Animal Rights has made t he following regulations:-
Citation and 
scope.
S.L. 433. 30.1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Seeds of
Agricultural Plants and Vegetables (Amendment) Regulations, 202 1
and these regulations shall be read and construed as one with t he Seeds
of Agricultural Plants and Veget ables Regulations, hereinafter referred
to as "the principal regulations". 
 (2) The scope of these regulations is to transpose Commission
Implementing Directive (EU) 2021/415 of 8 March 2021 amending
Council Directives 66/401/EEC and 66/402/EEC in order to adapt to
the evolution of scientific a nd technical know ledge, taxonomic groups
and names of certain spe cies of seeds and weeds. 
Amends 
Schedule I to the principal 
regulations. 2. Schedule I to the principal regulations shall be amended as
follows:
(a)  Table 1.1 thereof shall be amended as follows:
(i) the seventh defini tion  thereof shall be
substituted by the follo wing new definition:
 (ii) the eighth definition th ereof shall be substituted
by the following new definition:
 (iii) the tenth definition th ereof shall be substituted"Sorghum bicolor  (L.)
Moench subsp. bicolor  Sorghum";
"Sorghum bicolor (L.)
Moench subsp. drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet ex DavidseSudan grass";
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by the following new definition:
(iv) the eleventh definition thereof shall be
substituted by the follo wing new definition:
(v) the twelfth definition thereof shall be
substituted by the follo wing new definition:
(vi) the fourteenth definition thereof shall be
substituted by the follo wing new definition:
(b) Table 1.2 thereof shall be substituted by the following
new Table:
""Triticum aestivum L. subsp .
aestivumWheat";
"Triticum turgidum L. subsp.
durum (Desf.) van SlagerenDurum wheat";
"Triticum aestivum L. subsp.
spelta (L.) Thell.Spelt wheat"; and
"Sorghum bicolor (L.)
Moench subsp. bicolor x
Sorghum bicolor (L.)
Moench subsp. drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet ex DavidseHybrids resulting from the
crossing of Sorghum bicolor
(L.) Moench subsp. bicolor
and Sorghum bicolor (L.)
Moench subsp. drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet exDavidse"; and
Latin Name Common Name
Poaceae (Gramineae) Grasses
Agrostis canina  L. Velvet bent 
Agrostis capillaris  L. Brown top
Agrostis gigantea  Roth. Roth Redtop
Agrostis stolonifera  L. Creeping bent grass
Cynodon dactylon  (L.) Pers. Bermuda grass
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".Festuca filiformis  Pourr. Fine-leaved sheep’s fescue
Festuca ovina  L. Sheep’s fescue
Festuca pratensis  Huds. Meadow fescue
Festuca rubra L. Red fescue
Festuca trachyphylla (Hack.) Hack. Hard fescue
Lolium multiflorum  Lam. Italian ryegrass (incl. 
Westerwold ryegrass)
Lolium perenne  L. Perennial ryegrass
Poa pratensis  L. Smooth-stalked meadow grass
Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Legumes
Biserrula pelecinus L. Biserrula 
Galega orientalis Lam. Fodder galega
Hedysarum coronarium  L. Sulla
Lathyrus cicera L. Chickling vetch/Dwarf chickling 
vetch 
Medicago doliata Carmign. Straight-spined medic 
Medicago italica (Mill.) Fiori Disc medic 
Medicago littoralis Rohde ex Loisel. Shore medic/Strand medic 
Medicago murex Willd. Sphere medic 
Medicago polymorpha L. Bur medic 
Medicago rugosa Desr. Wrinkled medic/Gama medic 
Medicago sativa  L. Lucerne
Medicago scutellata (L.) Mill. Snail medic/Shield medic 
Medicago truncatula Gaertn. Barrel medic 
Ornithopus compressus L. Yellow serradella 
Ornithopus sativus Brot. Serradella 
Pisum sativum  L. (partim) Field pea
Trifolium alexandrinum L. Berseem, Egyptian clover
Trifolium fragiferum L. Strawberry clover 
Trifolium glanduliferum Boiss. Glandular clover 
Trifolium hirtum All. Rose clover 
Trifolium isthmocarpum Brot. Moroccan clover 
Trifolium michelianum Savi Balansa clover 
Trifolium pratense  L. Red clover
Trifolium squarrosum L. Squarrose clover 
Trifolium subterraneum L. Subterranean clover 
Trifolium vesiculosum Savi Arrow-leaf clover 
Vicia benghalensis L. Purple vetch 
Vicia faba  L. Field bean
Vicia sativa  L. Common vetch
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Amends 
Schedule II to 
the principal 
regulations. 3. Schedule II to the principal regulations shall be amended as
follows:
(a) the footnote of Table 1.6 thereof shall be substituted
by the following new footnote:
"(*) In the areas where the presence of S. halepense
or S. bicolor subsp. drummondii is a particular cross-
pollination issue, the f ollowing shall apply: 
(a) crops to produce basic seed of Sorghum bicolor
subsp. bicolor or its hybrids must be isolated not less than
800 m from any source of such contaminating pollen; 
(b) crops to produce certified seed of Sorghum
bicolor subsp. bicolor or its hybrids must be isolated not
less than 400 m from any sour ce of such contaminating
pollen.";
(b) paragraph (b) of item 4 under Section I Cereals
thereof shall be substituted by t he following new paragraph: 
(c) Item C under Table 1.7 there of shall be substituted by
the following new item:"(b) The number of field inspections shall be at
least: 
for Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena strigosa ,
Hordeum vulgare , Phalaris canariensis , xTriticosecale,
Triticum aestivum subsp. aestivum , Triticum turgidum
subsp. durum , Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta , Secale
cereale : 1";
"C. Crops to produce certified seed of hybrids of
Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena strigosa , Triticum
aestivum subsp. aestivum , Triticum turgidum subsp.
durum , Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta and self-
pollinating x Triticosecale and crops to produce certified
seed of hybrids of Hordeum vulgare by means of a
technique other than Cytopl asmic Male Sterility (CMS)
1. Varietal identit y and varietal purity
The crop shall have sufficient identity and purity as
regards the characteris tics of the components. 
Where seed is produced by use of a chemical
hybridisation agent, the c rop shall conform to the
following other sta ndards or conditions: 
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(i) the minimum varietal purity of each
component shall be: 
— Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena
strigosa , Hordeum vulgare , Triticum
aestivum subsp. aestivum , Triticum turgidum
subsp. durum and Triticum aestivum subsp.
spelta : 99,7%, 
— self-pollinating x Triticosecale :
99,0%;
(ii) the minimum hybridity must be 95%.
The percentage hybridity shall be assessed in
accordance with current international methods, in
so far as such methods exist. In cases where thehybridity is determined dur ing seed testing prior to
certification, the determin ation of the hybridity
during field inspection need not be done.
2. Isolation distances
The crop shall conform to the following standards
as regards distances from ne ighbouring sources of pollen
which may result in undesira ble foreign pollination: 
— the minimum distance of the female component
shall be 25 m from any other variety of the same species
except from a crop of the male component, 
— with the approval of the Directorate, this
distance can be disregarded if there is sufficient
protection from any undesi rable foreign pollination.
3. Crops to produce basic and certified seed of
hybrids of Hordeum vulgare by means of the technique
of CMS:
(a) The crop shall conform to the following
standards as regards distances from neighbouring
sources of pollen which may result in undesirable
foreign pollination:
Crop Minimum distance
12
For the production of basic seed 100m
For the production of certified
seed50m
(b) The crop shall have suf ficient varietal identity
and purity as regards the characteristics of the
components.
In particular, the crop shall conform to the
following standards:
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Amends 
Schedule III to 
the principal 
regulations. 4. Schedule III to the principal r egulations shall be amended
as follows:
(a) item A of Section I Cereals thereof shall be
substituted by the following new item: 
"A. Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena strigosa ,
Hordeum vulgare , Triticum aestivum  subsp. aestivum ,
Triticum turgidum  subsp. durum , Triticum aestivum  subsp.
spelta  other than hybrids in each case (Table 1.14):
(b) item C of Section I Cereals thereof shall be(i) The percentage by number of plants which are
obviously not being true to type shall not exceed:
- for the crops used to produce basic seed, 0.1% for
the maintainer and the restorer line and 0.2% for the
CMS female component, and
- for the crops used to produce certified seed, 0.3%
for the restorer and the CMS female component and 0.5%
in case the CMS female c omponent is a single hybrid.
(ii) The level of male sterility of the female
component shall be at least:
- 99.7% for crops used t o produce basic seed, and
- 99.5% for crops used t o produce certified seed.
(iii) The requireme nts of points (i) and (ii) shall be
examined in official post-control test.
(c) Certified seed may be produced in mixed
cultivation of female male-sterile component with a malecomponent which res tores fertility.".
Table 1.14:
Category Minimum varietal purity (%)
12
Basic seed
Certified seed, 1st generationCertified see d, 2nd generation99.999.799.0
The minimum varietal purity shall be examined
mainly in field inspections car ried out in accordance with
the conditions laid down in S chedule II Section I.";B 2709
substituted by the following new item:
(c) in the first column of Table 1.17 thereof, the words
"Avena sativa, Avena strigosa Hordeum vulgare Triticum
aestivum Triticum durum Triticum spelta. " shall be substituted
by the words " Avena sativa , Avena strigosa , Hordeum vulgare ,
Triticum  aestivum  subsp. aestivum , Triticum turgidum  subsp.
durum , Triticum aestivum  subsp. spelta ."; 
(d) The heading " Elytrigia repens" of column 5 in Table
1.19 thereof  shall be substituted by the words  " Elymus repens ";
and
(e) The heading " Elytrigia repens" of column 7 in Table
1.20 thereof shall be substituted by the words " Elymus repens ".
Amends 
Schedule IV to 
the principal regulations. 5. Table 1.32 of Schedule IV to the principal regulations shall
be substituted by the f ollowing new Table:"C. Hybrids of Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena
strigosa, Hordeum vulgare , Triticum  aestivum  subsp.
aestivum , Triticum turgidum  subsp. durum , Triticum
aestivum  subsp. spelta , and self-pollinating
xTriticosecale : 
The minimum varietal purity of the seed of the
category certified seed shall be 90%. 
In case of Hordeum vulgare  produced by means of
Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (CMS), it shall be 85%.
Impurities other than the r estorer shall not exceed 2%. 
The minimum varietal purity shall be examined in
official post-control test on an appropriate proportion of
samples.";
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substituted by the following new item:
(c) in the first column of Table 1.17 thereof, the words
"Avena sativa, Avena strigosa Hordeum vulgare Triticum
aestivum Triticum durum Triticum spelta. " shall be substituted
by the words " Avena sativa , Avena strigosa , Hordeum vulgare ,
Triticum  aestivum  subsp. aestivum , Triticum turgidum  subsp.
durum , Triticum aestivum  subsp. spelta ."; 
(d) The heading " Elytrigia repens" of column 5 in Table
1.19 thereof  shall be substituted by the words  " Elymus repens ";
and
(e) The heading " Elytrigia repens" of column 7 in Table
1.20 thereof shall be substituted by the words " Elymus repens ".
Amends 
Schedule IV to 
the principal regulations. 5. Table 1.32 of Schedule IV to the principal regulations shall
be substituted by the f ollowing new Table:"C. Hybrids of Avena nuda , Avena sativa , Avena
strigosa, Hordeum vulgare , Triticum  aestivum  subsp.
aestivum , Triticum turgidum  subsp. durum , Triticum
aestivum  subsp. spelta , and self-pollinating
xTriticosecale : 
The minimum varietal purity of the seed of the
category certified seed shall be 90%. 
In case of Hordeum vulgare  produced by means of
Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (CMS), it shall be 85%.
Impurities other than the r estorer shall not exceed 2%. 
The minimum varietal purity shall be examined in
official post-control test on an appropriate proportion of
samples.";
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"
Species Maximum 
weight of a lot 
(tonnes)Minimum 
weight of a 
sample to be 
drawn from a 
lot (grams)Weight of a
sample for
determinati
on by
numberprovided for
in Table
1.16 &columns 4 to
8 of Table
1.17
(Schedule
III) (grams)
1 2 34
Avena nuda 
30 1000 500Avena sativa
Avena strigosaHordeum vulgare
Triticum  aestivum
subsp. aestivum
Triticum turgidum
subsp. durum
Triticum aestivumsubsp. spelta
x Triticosecale
Secale cereale
Phalaris
canariensis10 400 200
Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench subsp.
bicolor30 900 900
Sorghum bicolor
(L.) Moench subsp.drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet ex
Davidse10 250 250B 2711
".Hybrids ofSorghum bicolor
(L.) Moench subsp.
bicolor  x Sorghum
bicolor  (L.)
Moench subsp.
drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet ex
Davidse30 300 300
Zea mays, basic
seed of inbred lines40 250 250
Zea mays, basicseed other thaninbred lines;
certified seed40 1000 1000
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".Hybrids of
Sorghum bicolor
(L.) Moench subsp.
bicolor  x Sorghum
bicolor  (L.)
Moench subsp.
drummondii
(Steud.) de Wet ex
Davidse30 300 300
Zea mays, basic
seed of inbred lines40 250 250
Zea mays, basicseed other thaninbred lines;
certified seed40 1000 1000
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