Section 285.609.1. Strawberry plant inspection and certification.

(1) Strawberry plants shall be considered eligible for inspection and certification provided the plants are taken  from   plantings that are:

(a)  First year plantings.

(b)   Well  cultivated  and  maintained  essentially free  of  weeds  and grasses.

(c)   ) Generally thrifty. Very thin plant stands may be disqualified.

(d)  Planted on soil that has not been exposed to the Red  Stele   disease within the past 15 years.

(e)    Maintained apparently free of insect pests, plant  diseases  and parasitic nematodes and within the standards established by this rule.

(2)   The following combination of inspections shall be required as a prerequisite to certification:

(a)   One or more inspections of the plants made on or about blossoming time or at such season of the year when soil temperature and  moisture  and growing conditions are proper for expression of the symptoms of the Red Stele disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora fragaria.

(b)   One or more inspections made during the late summer or fall seasons for other insect pests, plant diseases, and nematodes.

(3)   Certified plants must be apparently free of insect pests, plant diseases, and parasitic nematodes, and must originate from plantings in which the number of plants infested with certain pests do  not   exceed   the tolerances herein provided:

(a)  ) Red Stele--zero.

(b)   Crimp (Foliar nematode disease)--zero.

(c)   Root knot nematode--zero, provided that plantings  not   generally infested at the time of field inspection may be restricted at the discretion of the director subject to inspection at the grower's request and his expense, after the plants have been dug and graded.

(d)   June yellows (Blakemore yellows)--1% provided visibly affected plants are rogued.

(e)   ) Crinkle and virus yellows--zero.

(f)  Aster yellows and witches broom--1%, provided   infected   plants   are rogued.

(4)   Only those strawberry plants that meet the foregoing   certification requirements and have been produced in accordance  with   the  following standards shall be certified to be "disease free" or "virus free" or "produced from 'virus free' stock" or "registered" or  "foundation   stock" or any other term or terms that may be so construed,

and the use of any such terms in labeling, advertising  or  selling  strawberry  plants shall be restricted to plants so classified by the legally constituted  plant regulatory official of the state of origin, provided that strawberry plant foundation stock utilized in Michigan shall mean plants determined  to   be free of known  harmful  virus   diseases by the   Michigan   department   of agriculture:

(a)   Foundation stock approved by the plant regulatory official must  be planted on a site approved by such official and shall be at  all  times isolated by at least 1,500  feet from other  strawberry  plants,   either domesticated or wild, provided that enclosure of the planting site with an approved insect-proof screenhouse shall nullify the isolation requirement.

(b)     The planting site shall not have been cropped in potatoes, tomatoes, or other solanaceous plants within the preceding 5 years.

(c)    The soil of the planting site must be fumigated for the eradication of parasitic nematodes prior to planting.

(d)   Fragaria vesca indicator plants must be planted in a border row around the planting or interplanted in a manner  approved  by  the  plant regulatory official.

(e)   Insect vectors of viruses and other insect pests shall be controlled by the application of insecticide at prescribed  intervals,  using  such formulations and quantities of materials as shall be approved  by the plant regulatory official.

(f)   Propagation of plants for special certification may  continue  from foundation stock  for  a   maximum  period  of  2   years,  provided   that virus-infected plants are not found at the planting site.

(5)   The requirements set forth within the provisions of subrules  (1), (2),  and  (3)  of this rule shall constitute the  minimum  for  the certification of strawberry plants shipped or carried  into   or  within Michigan, and plants so certified, shipped, or carried must be accompanied by a valid certificate of inspection issued  by  the legally  constituted certifying agency of the state of origin.

History: 1979 AC.