DUS protocols for testing plant varieties

If you have a new plant variety, it must be tested to make sure it is distinct, sufficiently uniform and stable (DUS) as part of the application process to:

DUS testing checks your new plant variety is distinct, uniform and stable.

A distinct plant variety has at least one important characteristic that is different from other varieties included in the variety lists.

A uniform plant variety has individual plants that share the same important characteristics.

A stable plant variety remains unchanged after ‘repeated propagation’, for example, reproduction from seeds, cuttings, bulbs or other plant parts.

APHA will ask you to send your seed or plant material for testing as part of your application to add your variety to the variety lists or for PBR. They’ll tell you how much to send and when.

Do not send plant material until APHA requests it.

Your variety might need more tests on parental species if you’re registering hybrid varieties.

APHA will send you a copy of the test results.

The EU stopped accepting UK DUS reports from 1 January 2021.

The UK is reliant on EU testing for a large number of species where the UK does not have DUS testing capability. The UK will accept EU reports for these species, if the testing done for the report is of comparable quality to UK testing.

The UK will accept EU DUS test reports for the following species the UK does have testing capability for:

EU testing must have started before 31 January 2020 for the UK to accept an EU DUS test report.

For all other species where the UK has testing capability, you need to get a UK DUS test as part of your variety list or PBR applications.

The UK has DUS testing capability for a range of species, including over 800 ornamental plant species.