Listen

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

15 results

Where can I register for newsletters?

You can register for our newsletters on our  website

Where can I find more information on Naktuinbouw Elite?
How to apply for a statement for my vegetable crop?

Complete this form to apply for a statement for your vegetable crop.
Example statements: registration statement, NON GMO, Certificate of conformity, inclusion of variety as a third country synonym or on Internal Naktuinbouw list, granting authorisation for a vegetable variety which has not yet been officially admitted, conservation statement or ISTA sampling statement.

How do I register as a Naktuinbouw customer?

To register as a Naktuinbouw customer to use our Variety Testing services, please complete this form.

How to apply for an Authorisation: marketing material of not yet listed vegetable varieties?

You can apply for authorisation by just ticking the box on the Plant Breeders' Rights and/or listing application form. If you wish to apply for authorisation at a later stage, you can send this form to us by e-mail. 

Please refer to this link for the full text of the Decision (2004/842/EC). 

Which authorisations for not yet listed vegetable varieties have been renewed?

These can be found on this page: Authorisation: marketing material not yet listed vegetable varieties, paragraph "About the regulation".

Who can I contact for more information about NAL?

You can contact Amanda van Dijk per email: nal@naktuinbouw.nl

When do the new sampling requirements become into force?

The sampling requirements as described in the NAL conditions version 12 will become into force from 1 October 2024. Tests performed after this date that are used for NAL quality certificates must meet these requirements. The period between the adoption of the new requirements (15 March 2024) and 1 October 2024 is needed to adapt the sampling (and possibly test) protocols by NAL-participants, and their review by NAL. Small and commercial seed lots sampled and tested before 1 October 2024 are exempt from this requirement and seed health test results can be used for NAL quality certificates when tested according to in-house sample sizes.

When I apply the NAL sampling requirements, do I fulfil requirements of third parties (like GSPP, import or export requirements)?

You are always responsible to check requirements of third parties yourself. Third parties may request a test on a larger sample.

For small seed lots, infection rates of 10% or 1% are applied (Table 3). Why?

Small seed samples come from a (very) low number of plants. The ratio between the one plant infected with a pathogen and the other(s) is high, so the infection rate is high. The relevant number of seeds is extrapolated from ISPM no. 31, appendix 2, table 1 and can be calculated by the formulas in appendix 2.

In case of fruit sampling, the number of seeds depends on the pathogen; why was chosen for 10, 3 and 1 seeds for bacteria, viruses and fungi respectively?

For bacteria this is coming from requirements for GSPP (Good seed and plant practices, see GSPP : hygiene in seed production and plant raising to prevent infection with pathogens). Compared to bacteria, viruses and fungi have a different risk (a different infection rate and a different distribution) which leads to different number of seeds

If my seed lot is just more than 30.000 seeds, using 10.000 seeds for one bacteria test is very much. Is there an alternative?

Sample size and subsample sizes must be described and validated in your test protocol and/or validation report. See condition 22.8.6. This is reviewed by NAL.

Can I do several tests on one (small) sample?

Each test must reflect the whole sample, the sample can not be divided prior to starting the test protocol.

If required for export, which text has been approved and can be placed under the header 'Remarks' on the NAL quality certificate?

Please click on the link Approved remarks on NAL quality certificates to view the complete list.

To whom can a NAL participant outsource a test, with the intention of issuing a NAL quality certificate?

Click on the link Overview subcontractors to find an overview with subcontractors and their scope.