INTRODUCTION

In 1960 a “Catalogue of Cultivated Species and Varieties” was officially introduced and this provided a restricted list of varieties of certain species, the seed of which can be sold in France.

A variety is registered by the Ministry of Agriculture according to the advice of the “Comité Technique Permanent de la Sélection des Plantes Cultivées” (Permanent Technical Committee for Cultivated Plant Selection (CTPS)). This advice is based on the results of trials made by the “Groupement d'Etude et de Contrôle des Variétés et Semences” (Group for Study and Control of Varieties and Seeds (GEVES)) of INRA. Registration is for 10 years. It can be renewed for successive 5-year periods at the breeder's request and with the agreement of CTPS.

A breeder or his representative who wants a variety to be registered makes an application to CTPS. He has to pay registration fees for expenses for experimentation and has to provide seed equivalent in health status to basic seed, class E.

EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS

Official technical regulations include details of experimental procedures. The experimentation lasts at least 2 years. A variety can only be registered if it appears distinct from other varieties, stable and uniform after examination of its different characters. This examination is at present made by RIVRO, the Netherlands (see van der Woude, this volume), and was part of an agreement for cooperation between the two countries.