Regulations last checked for updates: Apr 26, 2024

Title 7 - Agriculture last revised: Nov 16, 2024
§ 201.46 - Weight of working sample.

(a) Unmixed seed. The working samples for purity analysis and noxiousweed seed examination of unmixed seed shall be at least the weights set forth in table 1.

(b) Mixtures consisting of one predominant kind of seed or groups of kinds of similar size. The weights of the purity and noxious-weed seed working samples in this category shall be determined by the kind or group of kinds which comprise more than 50 percent of the sample.

(c) Mixtures consisting of two or more kinds or groups of kinds of different sizes, none of which comprise over 50 percent of the sample. The weights of the purity working samples in this category shall be the weighted averages (to the nearest half gram) of the weights listed in table 1 for each of the kinds which comprise the sample determined by the following method: (1) Multiply the percentage of each component in the mixture (rounded off to the nearest whole number) by the sample sizes specified in column 2, table 1, (2) add all these products, (3) total the percentages of all components of the mixtures, and (4) divide the sum in paragraph (c)(2) of this section by the total in paragraph (c)(3) of this section. If the approximate percentage of the components of a mixture are not known they may be estimated. The weight of the noxious-weed seed working sample shall be determined by multiplying the weight of the purity working sample by 10 or by calculating the weighted average in the same manner described above for the purity working sample.

(d) Coated seed.

(1) Unmixed coated seed. Due to variation in the weight of coating materials, the size or weight of the working sample shall be determined separately for each lot. The weight of the working sample shall be determined by weighing 100 completely coated units and calculating the weight of 2,500 coated units for the purity analysis and 25,000 coated units for the noxious-weed seed examination.

(2) Mixtures of coated seed. The working weight shall be determined in the following manner:

(i) Calculate the weight of the working sample to be used for the mixture under consideration as though the sample were not coated by following paragraph (b) or (c) of this section.

(ii) Determine the amount of coating material on 100 coated units by weighing the coated units. Remove the coating material using the methods described in §§ 201.51b (c) and (d). Calculate the percentage of coating material using the following formulas:

Weight of coating material = weight of 100 coated units − weight of 100 de-coated units; The percentage of coating material = weight of the coating material divided by the weight of 100 coated units × 100%.

(iii) The weight of the working sample shall be the product of the weight calculated in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section multiplied by 100 percent, divided by 100 percent minus the percentage of coating material calculated in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section.

Table 1—Weight of Working Sample

Name of seed Minimum weight for purity analysis (grams) Minimum weight for noxious-weed seed examination (grams) Approximate number of seeds per gram
Agricultural Seed
Agrotricum6550039
Alfalfa550500
Alfilaria550440
Alyceclover550665
Bahiagrass:
Var. Pensacola550600
All other vars.750365
Barley10050030
Barrelclover10100250
Bean:
Adzuki20050011
Field5005004
Mung10050024
Beet, field5050055
Beet, sugar5050055
Beggarweed, Florida550440
Bentgrass:
Colonial0.252.513,000
Creeping0.252.513,515
Velvet0.252.518,180
Bermudagrass1103,930
Bermudagrass, giant1102,950
Bluegrass:
Annual1102,635
Bulbous440585
Canada0.555,050
Glaucantha110
Kentucky1103,060
Nevada1102,305
Rough0.554,610
Texas1102,500
Wood0.554,330
Bluejoint0.558,461
Bluestem:
Big770320
Little550525
Sand10100215
Yellow1101,945
Bottlebrush-squirreltail990300
Brome:
Field550465
Meadow13130190
Mountain20200140
Smooth770315
Broomcorn4040060
Buckwheat5050045
Buffalograss:
(Burs)20200110
(Caryopses)330740
Buffelgrass:
(Fascicles)666365
(Caryopses)2201,940
Burclover, California:
(in bur)50500
(out of bur)770375
Burclover, spotted
(in bur)5050050
(out of bur)550550
Burnet, little25250110
Buttonclover770365
Camelina440880
Canarygrass20200150
Canarygrass, reed2201,185
Carpetgrass1102,230
Castorbean5005005
Chess, soft550555
Chickpea5005002
Clover:
Alsike2201,500
Arrowleaf440705
Berseem550455
Cluster1102,925
Crimson10100330
Kenya220
Ladino2201,935
Lappa2201,500
Large hop1105,435
Persian2201,415
Red550600
Rose770360
Small hop2201,950
Strawberry550635
Sub25250120
White2201,500
Corn:
Field5005003
Pop5005003
Cotton3005008
Cowpea3005008
Crambe25250
Crested dogtail2201,900
Crotalaria:
Lance770375
Showy2525080
Slenderleaf10100205
Striped10100215
Sunn7550035
Crownvetch10100305
Dallisgrass440620
Dichondra550470
Dropseed, sand0.252.512,345
Emmer10050025
Fescue:
Chewings330900
Hair110
Hard2201,305
Meadow550495
Red330900
Sheep2201,165
Tall550455
Flatpea10050025
Flax15150180
Foxtail, creeping1.5151,736
Foxtail, meadow330893
Galletagrass:
(Other than caryopses)10100260
(Caryopses)550580
Grama:
Blue2201,595
Side-oats:
(Other than caryopses)660350
(Caryopses)2201,605
Guar7550035
Guineagrass2202,205
Hardinggrass330750
Hemp5050045
Indiangrass, yellow770395
Indigo, hairy770435
Japanese lawngrass2201,325
Johnsongrass10100265
Kenaf50500
Kochia, forage2201,070
Kudzu2525080
Lentil12050014-23
Lespedeza:
Korean550525
Sericea330820
Siberian330820
Striate550750
Lovegrass, sand1103,585
Lovegrass, weeping1103,270
Lupine:
Blue5005007
White5005007
Yellow3005009
Manilagrass220
Medic, black550585
Milkvetch990270
Millet:
Browntop880315
Foxtail550480
Japanese990315
Pearl15150180
Proso15150185
Molassesgrass0.557,750
Mustard:
Black2201,255
India550625
White15150160
Napiergrass550
Needlegrass, green770370
Oat7550035-50
Oatgrass, tall660417
Orchardgrass330945
Panicgrass, blue2201,370
Panicgrass, green2201,305
Pea, field5005004
Peanut5005001-3
Radish3030075
Rape:
Annual770345
Bird770425
Turnip550535
Winter10100230
Redtop0.252.510,695
Rescuegrass20200115
Rhodesgrass1104,725
Rice5050065
Ricegrass, Indian770355
Roughpea7550040
Rye7550040
Rye, mountain2828090
Ryegrass:
Annual550420
Intermediate880338
Perennial550530
Wimmera550
Safflower10050030
Sagewort, Louisiana0.558,900
Sainfoin5050050
Saltbush, fourwing15150165
Sesame770360
Sesbania25250105
Smilo2202,010
Sorghum5050055
Sorghum almum15150150
Sorghum-sudangrass6550038
Sorgrass 115150135
Sourclover550660
Soybean5005006-13
Spelt10050025
Sudangrass25250100
Sunflower100500
Sweetclover:
White550570
Yellow550570
Sweet vernalgrass2201,600
Sweetvetch, northern19190130
Switchgrass440570
Teff1103,288
Timothy1102,565
Timothy, turf1102,565
Tobacco0.5515,625
Trefoil:
Big2201,945
Birdsfoot330815
Triticale100500
Vaseygrass330970
Veldtgrass440655
Velvetbean5005002
Velvetgrass1103,360
Vetch:
Common15050019
Hairy7550035
Hungarian10050024
Monantha100500
Narrowleaf5050060
Purple10050022
Woollypod10050025
Wheat:
Common10050025
Club10050025
Durum10050025
Polish10050025
Poulard10050025
Wheat × Agrotricum6550038
Wheatgrass:
Beardless880275
Fairway crested440685
Standard crested550425
Intermediate15150175
Pubescent15150180
Siberian550
Slender770295
Streambank1050370
Tall15150165
Western10100250
Wildrye:
Basin880317
Canada11110190
Russian660360
Vegetable Seed
Artichoke10050024
Asparagus10050025
Asparagusbean3005008
Bean:
Garden5005004
Lima5005002
Runner5005001
Beet5030060
Broadbean500500
Broccoli1050315
Brussels sprouts1050315
Burdock, great15150
Cabbage1050315
Cabbage, Chinese550635
Cabbage, tronchuda10100
Cardoon100500
Carrot350825
Cauliflower1050315
Celeriac1252,520
Celery1252,520
Chard, Swiss5030060
Chicory350940
Chives550
Citron20050011
Collards1050315
Corn, sweet500500
Cornsalad:
Vars. Fullhearted and Dark Green Fullhearted550
All other vars1050380
Cowpea3005008
Cress:
Garden550425
Upland2351,160
Water1255,170
Cucumber7550040
Dandelion2351,240
Dill350800
Eggplant1050230
Endive350940
Gherkin, West India16160153
Kale1050315
Kale, Chinese1050
Kale, Siberian880325
Kohlrabi1050315
Leek750395
Lettuce350890
Melon5050045
Mustard, India550625
Mustard, spinach550535
Okra10050019
Onion750340
Onion, Welsh1050
Pak-choi550635
Parsley550650
Parsnip550430
Pea5005003
Pepper15150165
Pumpkin5005005
Radish3030075
Rhubarb5030060
Rutabaga550430
Sage25150120
Salsify5030065
Savory, summer2351,750
Sorrel2351,080
Soybean5005006-13
Spinach25150100
Spinach, New Zealand20050013
Squash20050014
Tomato550405
Tomato, husk2351,240
Turnip550535
Watermelon20050011

1 Rhizomatous derivatives of a johnsongrass × sorghum cross or a johnsongrass × sudangrass cross.

[25 FR 8769, Sept. 13, 1960, as amended at 30 FR 7888, June 18, 1965; 32 FR 12780, Sept. 6, 1967; 35 FR 6108, Apr. 15, 1970; 41 FR 20156, May 17, 1976; 46 FR 53635, Oct. 29, 1981; 59 FR 64492, Dec. 14, 1994; 65 FR 1707, Jan. 11, 2000; 85 FR 40580, July 7, 2020]
authority: 7 U.S.C. 1592.
cite as: 7 CFR 201.46