Guidance

VCU protocols and procedures for testing agricultural crops

Protocols and procedures for testing the value for cultivation or use (VCU) of agricultural crops.

From:
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
15 June 2015
Last updated
12 November 2024 — See all updates

As part of the application process to add an agricultural crop to the National List, the plant must be tested to confirm whether the variety has satisfactory value for cultivation or use (VCU).

The growing trials for all crops, except potatoes, are organised by the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB). The trials for potatoes are organised by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA).

These trials are normally carried out for a minimum of 2 years, comparing the performance of candidate varieties with varieties already on the National Lists.

The trials use the VCU protocols and procedures approved by the Plant Variety and Seeds Committee, which represents the national authorities on seed issues to establish VCU.

Protocols

Email pvs.helpdesk@apha.gov.uk if you need a copy of the VCU protocols for any of the following crops:

  • cereals
  • field bean
  • field pea
  • forage and grain maize
  • grasses (perennial, Italian and hybrid ryegrasses, tall and meadow fescue, timothy and festulolium)
  • minor crops
  • red clover and lucerne
  • potato
  • spring oilseed rape
  • white clover
  • winter oilseed rape

Trials

Procedures – for 2025 harvest

Procedures – for 2024 harvest

Procedures – for 2023 harvest

Minor crops for 2023

Procedures – for 2022 harvest

Minor crops for 2022

For previous VCU procedures visit the National Archive.

Updates to this page

Published 15 June 2015
Last updated 12 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Under the section 'Procedures - for 2025 harvest', we have replaced the attachment for 'Cereals - appendices'. Appendix 5 has been updated.

  2. Added VCU procedures for 2025 harvest for the following crops: fodder radish, mustard, vetch, white clover, and perennial, Italian and hybrid ryegrass, timothy, festulolium, cocksfoot, tall and meadow fescue.

  3. Under 'Procedures - for 2025 harvest', replaced attachment for 'field beans - appendices'. Appendix 4 has changed to reflect changes in trial operators.

  4. Replaced audit report form (appendix 4) in the trials document.

  5. Added fodder beet procedures for 2024 harvest. Added appendices for cereals, winter oilseed rape, spring oilseed rape, field peas and field beans for 2025.

  6. Potato procedures for 2025 harvest have been added. Potato procedures appendices for 2024 harvest have also been added.

  7. Sugar beet procedures and sugar beet procedures appendices for 2024 harvest added.

  8. Added 2025 harvest procedures for cereals, field beans, field pea, flax, hemp, linseed, lupin, soya bean, spring oilseed rape, sunflower and winter oilseed rape.

  9. Added the 2024 forage and grain maize VCU procedure and appendices. VCU procedures for 2014, 2020 and 2021 are now available on the national archive.

  10. Added the 2024 VCU procedures for annual ryegrass, fodder kale, fodder radish, grasses and swede. Added the 2024 VCU procedures appendices for annual ryegrass, fodder beet, fodder kale, fodder radish, grasses and swede

  11. Updated the trials documents which are now combined into one document: Procedures for trial inspection, data validation, trial design and official supervision.

  12. Added the 2024 harvest procedure and appendices for red clover and lucerne, and vetch. Updated the 2024 harvest appendices for cereals.

  13. Added VCU procedure and appendices for forage rye.

  14. Added VCU procedures for mustard and forage oat. Added VCU procedures appendices for mustard.

  15. Added appendices for cereals 2024 harvest.

  16. Added forage rape 2024 harvest procedures and appendices.

  17. Added 2024 harvest procedures for cereals, field beans, field peas, flax, hemp, linseed, soya bean, spring lupin, spring oilseed rape, sunflower and winter oilseed rape. Added 2024 harvest procedures appendices for forage oats, field beans, field peas, flax, hemp, lupin, soya bean, spring oilseed rape and sunflower.

  18. Added 2024 harvest procedure appendices for winter oil seed rape and linseed.

  19. Updated 2023 harvest procedures for: Cereals, Field bean, Field pea, Flax, Hemp, Linseed, Soya bean, Spring lupin, Spring oilseed rape, Sunflower, Winter oilseed.

  20. Added 2023 harvest procedures for flax and linseed.

  21. Added 2023 and 2024 harvest procedures for potatoes.

  22. Added 2023 harvest procedures for: * Fodder beet * Fodder kale * Fodder radish * Forage and grain maize * Forage rape * Forage rye * Minor crops * Mustard * Red clover and lucerne * Grasses (perennial, Italian and hybrid ryegrass, timothy, festulolium, cocksfoot, tall and meadow fescue * Swede * White clover

  23. Added minor crops for 2023 section.

  24. Added VCU procedures for harvest 2023: field peas, spring oilseed rape, sugar beet and winter oilseed rape.

  25. Added 2023 harvest procedures for cereals and field beans.

  26. Added VCU procedure for harvest 2022: potato.

  27. Published VCU procedures for harvest 2022: cereals, field beans, field peas, forage and grain maze, grasses, minor crops introduction, fodder beet, fodder kale, fodder radish, forage oat, forage rape, forage rye, hemp, linseed and flax, mustard, soya bean, spring lupin, sunflower, swede, red clover and lucern, spring oil seed rape, sugar beet, white clover and winter oil seed rape.

  28. Replaced PDF VCU protocols for some crops with email address to contact for a copy.

  29. Published VCU procedures for harvest 2021: cereals, spring oilseed rape, winter oilseed rape, minor crops introduction, hemp, linseed, mustard, soya bean, spring lupin and sunflower. Removed VCU procedures for harvest 2019.

  30. Added linseed VCU procedure to the Harvest 2020 minor crops.

  31. Added VCU procedures for harvest 2020 for main crops (forage oats, grasses, potato, red clover and lucerne, and white clover) and minor crops (fodder kale, fodder radish, forage rape, forage rye, hemp and swede).

  32. Added VCU procedure for harvest 2020: forage and grain maize

  33. Added VCU procedures for harvest 2020: sugar beet and fodder beet.

  34. Updated VCU procedures for cereal and winter oilseed

  35. Updated VCU protocol for minor crops.

  36. Added procedure for harvest 2019: forage and grain maize

  37. Addition of Field Bean and Pea 2020 protocol

  38. Addition of 2020 Harvest

  39. Further procedures added for 2019 harvest

  40. Sugar beet added to Procedures for 2019 harvest.

  41. Addition of Trial Procedures for Official Examination of Value for Cultivation and use (VCU) Harvest 2019 Swede to 'minor crops' under 'procedures for 2019 harvest'.

  42. Field beans protocol 2019 updated

  43. Procedures for 2019 harvest - cereals, winter oilseed and linseed documents updated

  44. Added procedures for harvest 2019 - Cereals (wheat, barley, oats, triticale, rye, spelt wheat)

  45. VCU procedures for field beans 2019 harvest added

  46. Procedures for 2019 harvest, Winter oilseed rape document updated

  47. VCU procedure for linseed updated

  48. Added procedures for harvest 2019 - spring oilseed rape, field peas, minor crop introduction, linseed, mustard, soya bean, spring lupin and sunflower

  49. Added procedure for harvest 2018 - potato and harvest 2019 - winter oilseed rape. Removed harvest 2017 documents.

  50. Potato protocol updated

  51. Added harvest 2018 procedures - grasses and white clover

  52. Added procedure for harvest 2018 - sugar beet

  53. Added procedure for harvest 2018 - maise, red clover, fodder kale, forage rape and forage rye.

  54. Added procedure for harvest 2018 - spring oilseed rape and winter oilseed rape

  55. Updated harvest 2018 procedure - cereals and linseed

  56. Added procedure for harvest 2018 - field beans

  57. Updated harvest 2018 procedure - cereals

  58. Updated harvest 2018 procedure - cereals

  59. Added harvest 2018 procedures - cereals, field peas, minor crops, linseed, mustard, soya bean, spring lupin and sunflower

  60. Updated VCU protocol sugar beet

  61. Updated sugar beet 2017 harvest procedures

  62. Harvest 2017 procedures - added potato and sugar beet, updated spring oilseed rape. Removed harvest 2016 procedures.

  63. Added harvest 2017 procedures - grasses, red clover and white clover

  64. Added harvest 2017 procedures - forage and maize and fodder kale

  65. Added harvest 2017 procedures - forage rape, forage rye and swede in minor crops

  66. Updated field peas 2017 harvest procedures

  67. Updated spring oilseed and linseed 2017 harvest procedures

  68. Updated cereal and winterseed oil harvest 2017 documents

  69. Updated field beans and field peas 2017 harvest procedures

  70. Added spring oilseed rape procedure for 2017 harvest

  71. Added cereals (wheat, barley, oats, triticale, rye, spelt wheat) procedure for 2017 harvest

  72. Procedures for 2017 harvest published

  73. Added grasses (perennial, Italian and hybrid ryegrass, Timothy and festulolium) and white clover procedures for 2016 harvest

  74. Added procedures 2016 harvest - forage and grain maize, red clover and lucerne, fodder kale, forage rape, forage rye and swede

  75. Procedures for potato for 2016 harvest published

  76. Sugar beet harvest 2016 procedure added

  77. Published cereals VCU procedures harvest 2016

  78. Added field beans, field peas and spring lupin to procedures for 2016 harvest.

  79. Procedures for oilseed rape for 2016 harvest published.

  80. Published VCU procedure for red clover and lucerne for 2015 harvest

  81. Published VCU procedure for cereals for 2015 harvest

  82. Procedures for 2015 harvest documents published.

  83. First published.

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