# COMAR Title 15 — Maryland Department of Agriculture

## Subtitle 08 — Turf and Seed

### Chapter 04 — Turf Grass Certification

#### Regulation .10 Certification Regulations for Specific Types of Turf Grass.

*COMAR 15.08.04.10*

A. Cultivated Turf Grass.

  (1) Requirements for Seed.

    (a) The participant shall:

      (i) Use the seed of the Foundation, Registered, or Certified class, as determined by the state of origin and approved by the Department.

      (ii) Use the seed cultivars and composition that are acceptable to the Department.

      (iii) Use seed of a Maryland Interagency Certified Mixture. The participant may plant individual components, if each individual component has been sampled, tested, and approved by the Department before being planted.

      (iv) Handle the seed so as to maintain satisfactory genetic identity and purity, as required by the Department.

    (b) Minimum seed standards for cultivated turf grass production are as follows:

    (c) In an emergency, and at the discretion of the Department, seed lots failing to meet the standards in §A of this regulation for other than genetic purity may be used for certified production only when the Department determines in writing that there exists a serious shortage of seed.

    (d) Minimum standards for kinds of seeds not listed in §A(1)(b) of this regulation shall be determined by the Department.

  (2) Certified Turf Grass shall be free of all grassy and broadleaf weeds, be relatively free of injurious insects, diseases, and nematodes, and show good esthetic appearance.

  (3) Isolation.

    (a) The participant shall use a minimum of 10 feet between each field of a different kind or variety, or between fields of certified and noncertified sod, unless a natural barrier, such as a fence or ditch, is present.

    (b) Failure to provide minimum isolation shall result in field loss of not less than 5 feet past the last visible contamination.

B. Vegetatively Propagated Turf Grass.

  (1) Eligibility Requirements for Establishment Stock.

    (a) The participant shall:

      (i) Use Breeder or Foundation stock, inspected and approved by the state of origin, to meet the minimum varietal and mechanical purities of the specific class;

      (ii) Use a single strain or variety acceptable to the Department;

      (iii) Handle the stock so as to maintain satisfactory genetic identity and purity, as required by the Department;

      (iv) Grow only one variety of a given species on a farm, unless written permission is obtained from the Department before planting;

      (v) Have all production of a specific variety on a farm inspected for certification.

    (b) Minimum stock standards for vegetatively propagated turf grass production are as follows:

    (c) For Foundation stock production (from Breeder stock), the participant shall use land that has been:

      (i) Free of any strain of vegetatively propagated grass for at least 3 years; and

      (ii) Treated with a fumigant acceptable to the Department.

    (d) Minimum standards for other kinds not listed in §B(1)(b) shall be designated by the Department.

    (e) If the participant elects to backfill an area where soil was removed in harvesting operations, the participant shall use sterilized soil.

    (f) For a field to maintain certification it must remain in the turf grass certification program continuously in accordance with Regulation .03A(3) of this chapter.

  (2) Certified turf grass shall:

    (a) Be free of grassy and broadleaf weeds;

    (b) Be relatively free of injurious insects, disease, and nematodes; and

    (c) Show good esthetic appearance.

  (3) Isolation.

    (a) The participant shall use a minimum of 40 feet between each field of a different kind or variety, unless a natural barrier, such as a fence or ditch, is present. If this barrier exists, the participant may reduce the minimum distance to 20 feet.

    (b) Failure to provide minimum isolation shall result in field loss of not less than 10 feet past the last visible contamination.