Amended 6-22-15
Brown Rice Greenhouse Import Protocol
This protocol provides for the limited importation of de-hulled brown rice to
California for the purposes of propagation under the conditions specified below. A
copy of the protocol identifying contents and specific compliance with the
conditions shall accompany shipments.
1. De-hulled brown rice shall be selected from disease-free and pest-free sources;
be free of federal noxious weeds and soil; securely packaged to prevent loss in
transit; and sent to the destination facilities.
2. De-hulled brown rice shall be packaged and safeguarded sufficiently to maintain
isolation from the domestic environment during transportation.
3. Introductions shall not exceed more than 200 accessions, weighing no more than
50 grams each per month.
4. Fungicidal or insecticidal dusts, powders, and slurries shall not be applied before
shipment.
5. Prior to use, de-hulled brown rice shall be labeled "Quarantined material” and is
to be stored in a locked cabinet or other secure place to prevent pilferage and
unauthorized use.
6. De-hulled brown rice shall be surfaced sterilized with a 0.525 percent sodium
hypochlorite solution or an equally effective sterilant and all seed surfaces are
thoroughly covered with the applied material.
7. De-hulled brown rice shall be germinated in one of the following manners:
a. rinsed and plated on Potato Dextrose Agar and observed for microbial
growth for 7 days at 25°C under fluorescent lights. Contaminated dehulled brown rice or diseased seedlings shall be destroyed by
incineration or autoclaving.
b. germinated on blotters moistened with water and enclosed in containers
capable of transmitting light, such as glass or plastic culture plates. The
seeds should be equidistant from each other and there should be no more
than 20 seeds per 9 cm. culture plate. The plants should be incubated
under near ultra violet light or fluorescent light with a dark/light cycle of
12 hours. The incubation temperature should be 20/-2 degrees C. The
germinated seeds should be examined periodically in culture over a
period of 8 days. Contaminated de-hulled brown rice or diseased
seedlings shall be destroyed by incineration or autoclaving.
8. Germinated de-hulled brown rice from step 7 (a)(b) shall be planted and grown
in a greenhouse for a minimum of 40 days.
9. Mother plants shall be inspected by a pathologist approved by the Committee.
10. Plants showing disease symptoms shall be destroyed and removed from the
greenhouse.
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Amended 6-22-15
11. Plants showing characteristics of propagating by rhizomes or shattering of seed
heads shall be removed from the greenhouse and sterilized in an autoclave.
12. De-hulled brown rice and plants derived from it shall be considered under
quarantine and shall not be removed from the designated location.
13. Greenhouses where work is performed with plant materials shall be inspected
by a county agricultural commissioner.
14. All vegetative parts of the plants and the medium in which they grew shall be
destroyed by incineration or autoclaving.
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