Crop Approbation

inspection of high-quality and hybrid crops and fruit and berry plantings to establish the suitability of their harvest for seeding, to evaluate their quality, and to ensure that seed-culture rules are fulfilled. In the USSR, crop approbation is a government measure undertaken according to the instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture. Approbation of field crops is done in the field (field approbation) and in the granary (granary approbation of corn cobs). Approbation is carried out by farm agronomists (under the supervision of senior inspectors) simply by examination in the field or by examination, selection, and analysis of the inspected sheaf, plant specimen, cob, seeds, beans, or other plant part. A method of approbation is provided by instructions for each crop depending upon such factors as the phase of development of the plants at the time of inspection, the area (in hectares) to be used for sheaf selection, and the number of stalks in a sheaf. During analysis of the sheaf or specimen, the following are determined: the grade purity or typicalness (in percent), obstruction by plants that are difficult to separate and by quarantine weeds, destruction by diseases, and damage by pests. The results of the analysis are reflected in the act of approbation for each sheaf or specimen. Field approbation is carried out yearly for all high-quality seed crops of kolkhozes and sovkhozes, scientific research institutions, educational-experimental farms, seed-producing and stock-seed-producing farms, sowings of deficit and long-term varieties, and the general high-quality crops of kolkhozes and sovkhozes necessary for fulfilling the government plan of purchase of high-quality seeds (in the sections of highest yield). The remaining high-quality crops of grain- and oil-producing crops and hybrid corn are registered on the basis of quality documents and examination of crops at the root (without selecting sheafs or specimens). The seeds from approved crops are accompanied by a quality guarantee based on the act of approbation.