Testing management

DUS (uniformity, distinctness, stability) testing

For most crops, the variety is tested for two years; tests are carried out at 1-2 sitres. In total, the tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability should be located at specialized variety plots. Tests can be conducted by the Gossortcommission, other organizations under an agreement with the Gossortcommission, or test results from the applicant himself may be also accepted. Tests shall conform with the approved methodologies developed for a specific genus, species or subspecies of plants or animals.

All the properties related to a genus or species are collected in the methodologies for evaluating varieties for distinctness, uniformity and stability. Gossortcommission basing on the methodologies developed by the UPOV working groups, recommendations of research institutes and own research has invented and approved its proprietary methodologies for assessing distinctness, uniformity and stability for more than 200 genera, species and varieties of plants and 13 species of animals. If the test results and examinations are positive, the applicant gets a patent and the variety is inscribed in the State Register of Protected Selection Achievements. The patent is valid for 30 years from the date of registration of the patent in the Register. For tree species and grapes the 35 years period is fixed. All work on the grant of a patent is paid by the applicant. The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 735 as of September 14, 2009 approved the Regulation on Patent Fees for Selection Achievements.

Feasibility Testing

Any selection achievement is declared admitted on the basis of assessment of its feasibility ising the method of competitive small-scale trials or expert assessment. In addition, the achievements concerning the species included in the list of protected species are subject to the distinctness, uniformity and stability evaluation.

The feasibility testing is applied to major agricultural crops, whilst the animal breeds, as well as varieties of crops of limited use, is benchmarked by expert judgment or basing on the data submitted by the applicant or his proxies. For varieties of rare crops (usually decorative crops), the feasibility is estimated according to the data submitted by the applicant, whilst the protected varieties of such crops are allowed to be used without feasibility testing.

On summing up the results of state tests, the Gossortcommission regional units prepare and publish the Recommendations on the Selection (Regionalization) of Varieties for Specific Soil And Climatic Conditions from among those approved for use in the corresponding region of the Russian Federation. The feasibility tests are carried out in almost all regions of the Russian Federation (ibid. list of regions and all state variety plots). The greenhouse varieties are tested taking into account light zones.