As part of the procedure of testing varieties for distinctness, uniformity and stability, botanical descriptions are compiled. These are used by crop inspectors to identify varieties.
Summary description sheets (also known as the coloured sheets) of the most widely grown varieties are made available to licensed crop inspectors each season and are updated every spring (check the date on the sheet).
The current season's descriptions sheets can be downloaded here (if the link is not live the sheets are unavailable at this point - please check later):
- Wheat
- Barley
- Oats
- Field beans
- Field pea
- Herbage legumes
- Herbage grasses
- Oilseeds and fodder (including roots)
Altenatively download the individual variety descriptions for the following crop types:
- Winter wheat
- Spring wheat
- Winter barley
- Spring barley
- Winter oats
- Spring oats
- Rye
- Triticale
- Spelt wheat
If a description, other than any found above, is needed for inspecting a seed crop in England and Wales contact NIAB's Seed Certification Team at cert.descriptions [at] niab.com