Genetic and Varietal Purity Testing - Seed Testing - page 208

Table 9.4. Cultivar identiication characteristics of seedlings and plants grown under growth cham-
ber testing conditions (AOSA Cultivar Purity Testing Handbook, 2010).

Species Characteristics Time after planting Use

Alfalfa lower color 5 weeks C 1 , OT 2

Garden bean, Kidney bean lower color, days to lower 4-6 weeks C, OT

Bentgrass stems/plant, stem length, % decumbent

plants, % red leaf sheath, leaf blade
width, leaf blade length, stem diameter

4 weeks + S 3 , C, OT

Berseem clover plant height, % elongated internodes 6-8 weeks C

Red clover pubescence, % lowering 4-6 weeks C

Lettuce hypocotyl color, leaf color, leaf margin,

leaf curl, cotyledon shape

up to 3 weeks T 4 , C, OT

Oat coleoptile and leaf sheath color,

pubescence, heading

10 days-2 weeks
about 30 days

C, OT

Ryegrass heading 30 days after

transplanting

S

Sorghum, Corn coleoptile and shoot color emergence to 14 days C, OT

Soybean stem pigmentation

pubescence color, pubescence angle
lealet shape
metribuzin tolerance
lowering (photoperiod)

10-14 days
21 days
21 days
30 days
up to 75 days

C, OT
C, OT
C, OT
C, OT
C

Sweetclover lower color 4-6 weeks S, OT

Wheat coleoptile and stem color, heading 7 days C, OT

1 Used to differentiate cultivars.
2 Used to detect off-types.
3 Used to differentiate species.
4 Used to differentiate types.