Field inspection

1. Open pollinated production. a. The first inspection shall be made prior to the bloom stage. b. The second inspection shall be made after the crop is at least fifty percent in bloom and before it is fully matured. 2. Hybrid and inbred production. a. At least three field inspections shall be made, one during the bud to early bloom stage and two during bloom. b. In a field producing hybrid sunflower seed, at least fifty percent of the male parent plants must be in bloom and producing pollen at the time the female parent is in full bloom. The heads of female plants shedding pollen must be removed and disposed of in a manner which will prevent their pollen from being disseminated. Off-type male plants shall be removed from the field before pollination. c. The field shall be considered the unit for certification. Fields shall be separated from other inseparable crops by a distance adequate to prevent mechanical mixture and from other sunflowers by five thousand two hundred eighty feet [1609.34 meters]. d. In inbred lines and foundation single crosses only the foundation class shall be recognized. In hybrid varieties only the certified class shall be recognized. 3. Diseases. Standards for seed-borne diseases in sunflowers are not specified; however, the inspector may reject fields for disease if the quality of the seed will be affected.