DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE  
PESTICIDE AND PLANT PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT DIVISION  
REGULATION NO. 617. BLACK STEM RUST  
(By authority of section 19 of Act No. 189 of the Public Acts of 1931, as amended, being  
S286.219 of the Michigan Compiled Laws)  
R 285.617.1 Black stem rust of small grains.  
Rule 1. (1) All species and varieties of the genera Berberis, Mahoniaand Mahoberberis  
and all living parts thereof determined by the director of agriculture to be susceptible  
alternate hosts for the black stem rust of small grains caused by Puccinia graminis are  
hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the growing, sale, distribution,  
transportation, or planting of such plants or living parts thereof is prohibited.  
(2) Plants or living parts thereof taken for purposes of propagation of the species and  
varieties of the genera Berberis, Mahonia and Mahoberberis resistant to the black stem  
rust of small grains must be certified according to the following provisions  
before being propagated, transported, distributed, offered for sale, or sold:  
(a) Rust-resistant plants of Berberis and Mahoberberis of not less than2 seasons' growth  
on their own roots and Mahonia plants of 1 season's growth will be eligible for  
movement after certification; provided plants of Berberis and Mahoberberis of 1 season's  
growth may be received by a nurseryman so licensed under section 9 of Act No. 189 of  
the Public Acts of 1931, as amended, being S286.209 of the Michigan Compiled  
Laws, as amended by Act No. 255 of the Public Acts of 1955, from a source approved  
by the director of agriculture or the United States department of agriculture.  
(b) Plants of Berberis and Mahoberberis of 1 season's growth received by a nurseryman  
from an approved source must be retained by the nurseryman for at least 2 growing  
seasons and must be maintained separate from certified plants or those eligible for  
certification.  
(c) The transportation, distribution or sale of seeds and fruits of Berberis and  
Mahonia shall be restricted to those seeds and fruits obtained from plants certified to  
be rust-resistant by the director of agriculture or the United States department of  
agriculture. Such seeds or fruits must be accompanied by a certificate attesting to  
the rust-resistance of the parent plants when being transported, distributed or sold.  
(3) Any nurseryman, person, firm, partnership, or corporation, upon making  
application in writing for the rust-resistant certification of plants or living parts thereof  
of Berberis, Mahonia, or Mahoberberis, shall furnish evidence of the source, species,  
and variety of the plants or parts thereof to be certified, and any other information  
deemed necessary by the director of agriculture for the proper identification, inspection,  
and certification of the plants or parts thereof.  
History: 1979 AC.  
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