Department of Variety Testing

The activity of department arise from Acts:

• No 291/96 and 470/2002 of the Legal Code on Varieties and Seeds
• Ordinance of Government of Slovak Republic No. 164/2004 of the Legal Code, by which is performed registration of varieties of agricultural crops.
• Regulation of MA SR  No. 309/2004 of the Legal Code , by which are stated details about registration of agricultural crops and about execution of state variety trials.
• Ordinance of commission (EC) No 930/2000, by which are stated performing rules, relating the  suitability of variety names of agricultural plant species and vegetable.
• Act No. 132/1989 of the Legal Code about protection of the rights to the new plant varieties and animal breed in the sense of Act No. 22/1996 of the Legal Code.
• The department of varietal testing provides for the execution of state variety trials  with the objective  to test and to improve systematically the assortment of varieties  of major agricultural crops  in the Slovak Republic in accordance with the Acts  No 291/96 and 470/2002 of the Legal Code on Varieties and Seeds.  Less efficient varieties are replaced by new ones, which have better properties and originate  from domestic or foreign  breedings. A new Act  on Registration  of Cultivated Plants and Placing the Seeds of Cultivated Plants in the Market is going to come into effect in September.

This department:

arranges executing of variety trials with the aim of registration varieties on List of Registered Varieties
arranges execution ov variety trials for the List of Recommended Varieties.
manages systematic testing of varieties from the point of view of stability of morphologic features and farm utility properties
work out plan of state variety tests for separate testing stations
evaluate the results of state variety tests
submits  the proposals in the form of certifications for registration of varieties, including applications and certifications about State Official Tests.
arranges the execution of tests for issuing of Breeding certifications for varieties applied for legal protection
arranges professional cooperation with international organizations working in the sphere of variety testing,  with Association  of seed breeders and breeders of Slovakia, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO).
arranges foundation, evaluation of semi operational  trials and professional consultancy
compiles the List of Registered Varieties
issues the Reporter of variety testing of Slovak Republic
issues the results of State Official Tests of main agricultural species
manages State Variety Book
cooperates with Genbank  of Slovakia
executes of registration of orchards and hop-gardens
in the cooperation  with APA (Agricultural Payment Agency) executes the inspection of starch content in potatoes, inspection of hemp and flax, inspection of storage of fruit and forecasts of yield of fruit species.
For the execution of state  varietal trials, the  department operates 18 testing stations located in various regions of Slovakia. The average area of one station is approximately 40 hectares of arable land. Each testing station  carries  out  testings of all major agricultural  crops which are suitable for the region where it is located. The following three testing stations are specialized in testing of special crops:
- Nové Zámky (vegetables, fruit) and
- Dolné Plachtince (grape-vine, fruit)

Approximately 350 to 400 applications were submitted annually  for state testing of new varieties. After the entry of the Slovak Republic into the EU last year this amount is dawnard-sloping especially  as for vegetable varieties.

Besides state varietal trials, agrotechnical  trials  with varieties  prior to registration, trials in the sphere of plant nutrition as well as trials necessary for registration of pesticides are being carried out in testing stations. Annually, the testing stations execute in total 700 to 750 trials on an area of 100 to 110 hectares. The trials are established within crop rotations which are scheduled for individual testing stations. The  testing stations also execute semi-operational variety trials with wheat , maize, barley and soy-bean.

Tests  for legal  protection  of varieties, executed in accordance with the rules of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties  of Plants (UPOV) represent  an important part  of the department´s activities. These tests are executed on the main crop testing premises of the  Central Controlling   and Testing  Institute (ÚKSÚP) or on the basis of the agreement on international cooperation (Czech  Republic, Hungary, Poland). Applications for legal protection of varieties  shall be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture  of the Slovak Republic. Tests  for legal protection of varieties  have a duration of two years.

In accordance with the current law, the Department provides tests for registration in the List of Recommended Varieties  too.  In addition to testing stations of the Institute, such tests may be also carried out in breeding stations and research institutes.

Following the testing period of three years, the Technical Commission for Seeds  and Varieties of the Ministry  of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic  shall take up the proposals for registration. The registration of any variety shall be approved by the Institute. Following approval of the registration,  the respective variety shall be entered in the National Register of Varieties . The section makes up annually  the List of Registered Varieties, which is then published in the Official Journal of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic.

Also quality analyses of new varieties make a constituent part of tests for registration. Analyses are carried out in the Institute´s laboratories, or contractually in specialized  laboratories.