REGISTRATION OF PLANT VARIETIES – National Catalog Application

The process of registering plant varieties in the National Catalog applies to those that have been bred, identified, or developed either domestically or internationally. Varieties are evaluated for their uniqueness, uniformity, and stability, as well as their biological and technological characteristics, resistance to pests and diseases, and overall agricultural performance before being officially recorded.

What is the Purpose of National Catalogue?

The National Catalog aims to

• Preserve genetic diversity by recording new and improved plant genotypes developed through breeding efforts,
• Recommend high-quality varieties to farmers, agribusinesses, and traders,
• Improve crop yield,
• Improve quality standards,
• Provide impartial and reliable information about plant varieties.

Who Can Apply for National Catalog and Production Permit?

Applications for variety registration or production permits can be submitted by:

• Universities,
• Public agricultural research institutions,
• Private agricultural R&D organizations,
• Individual applicants,
• Seed production companies,
• Sapling production companies.

All applications must be submitted to the Variety Registration and Seed Certification Center (VRSCC) via authorized seed research institutes.

Types of Applications

• Production permit application: Temporary approval granted until official registration, based on evaluation of biological and technological traits, resistance to pests and diseases, and agricultural performance.
• Registration application: Official listing of the variety in the National Variety List after confirming its distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS testing) and assessing its agricultural value. This application type is limited to seed research institutes.

Application Periods

• Fruit and vine species: First week of February and October,
• Vegetables and ornamental plants: First week of February, May, and October,
• Field crops: First week of July and August for winter sowing; first week of December and January for summer sowing.

Application for Fruits and Vine Species

• Applications may be submitted once VRSCC publishes the eligible species list.
• At least one month prior to submission, the applicant must request a trial site inspection and provide the site.
• Required documents include a technical questionnaire, site address, layout plan, number of plants, names of parent plants, and planting year.
• If the variety is not registered, registered without UPOV-compliant DUS tests, or the applicant requests domestic testing, a detailed set of documents including photographs, authorization papers, and certified translations must be provided. If the variety is already registered with UPOV-compliant tests, fewer documents are required.
• The process involves trial inspections, multi-year DUS observations, committee evaluation, naming, and publication in the National Variety List, taking at least three years.
• Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed in 10-year intervals.

Application for Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

• Applications may be submitted once VRSCC publishes the eligible species list.
• After VRSCC announces the eligible species list, follow a similar process to fruit and vine varieties, including trial site inspection requests and provision of technical and morphological details.
• DUS testing covers at least two growing seasons at one or more locations. If deficiencies occur, a third season may be required for vegetables (ornamental plants are limited to two seasons).
• Processing time is a minimum of three years, with registration valid for 10 years and renewable.

Application for Field Crop Species

• Applications may be submitted once VRSCC publishes the eligible species list.
• At least one month before applying for registration, the applicant must request a trial site inspection. The trial site is provided by the applicant and must be approved by VRSCC.
• The request must include: a completed technical questionnaire, trial site address, site layout plan, total number of plants, names of parent plants, and year of planting. For annual species, trials must take place in at least two locations in one growing season, or in one location over two seasons, depending on the variety's development characteristics. For perennial species, trials are required in at least two locations over two growing seasons.

Application for Non-Hybrid Field Crop Species

• If a variety is not registered in Turkey or abroad, is registered in a country where DUS testing has not been carried out in accordance with UPOV guidelines, if the variety description document cannot be provided, or if the applicant requests DUS testing in Turkey, the application must contain a pre-application trial report, an application petition and form, a completed technical questionnaire, and, if available, scaled photographs or similar materials showing the variety's morphological characteristics.
• Certified translations of any foreign documents by a sworn translation office, an authorization document, and proof of payment must also be included.
• If the variety is already registered in a UPOV member country where DUS testing was conducted according to UPOV standards, the application should include a pre-application trial report, an application petition and form, the official variety description document, and, if available, scaled photographs or similar morphological records.
• Certified translations of any foreign documents, an authorization document, and proof of payment are also required.

Application for Maize (Corn) and Sunflower Species

• Applications may be submitted once VRSCC publishes the eligible species list.
• If the variety is not registered, is registered without UPOV-compliant DUS testing, the description document is unavailable, or domestic testing is requested, the application must include a full set of documents such as technical questionnaires or variety descriptions for parental lines, petition and form, pre-application trial report, authorization papers, certified translations, photographs, and proof of payment.
• If the variety is already registered in a UPOV member country with compliant DUS testing, a reduced set of documents, including variety descriptions, petition and form, pre-application trial report, authorization papers, certified translations, photographs (if available), and proof of payment, is required.
• The process involves a trial site inspection request before application, file evaluation, DUS and Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) tests, report preparation, committee review, naming, preparation of the final DUS report and variety description, and publication in the national list.
• DUS tests are carried out in at least one location over two growing seasons. VCU tests are conducted over two seasons in at least three locations for annual species, and over three seasons in three locations for perennial species.
• The full process takes at least three years.
• Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed in 10-year intervals.