Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73not60

§2422 Content of Application

Title 7 › Chapter 57— PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION › Subchapter II— PROTECTABILITY OF PLANT VARIETIES AND CERTIFICATES OF PROTECTION › Part E— Applications; Form; Who May File; Relating Back; Confidentiality › § 2422

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

An application must give the variety’s name (a temporary name is okay until the certificate is issued) and follow the Secretary’s naming rules. It must describe how the variety is different, uniform, and stable, and include any known genealogy or breeding info. The Secretary can ask for more proof, like photos, drawings, plant samples, or ownership records, and may accept breeder or official seed-agency records as proof of stability. The applicant can correct the description before the certificate is issued if the Secretary accepts it, and courts must protect others from unfair harm. The application must also say why the variety is new, explain the basis of the applicant’s ownership, and promise to deposit and periodically replace a viable sample of basic seed (or other propagating material) in a public repository under the rules the Secretary sets.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §2422

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

An application for a certificate recognizing plant variety rights shall contain: (1)
(2)A description of the variety setting forth its distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability and a description of the genealogy and breeding procedure, when known. The Secretary may require amplification, including the submission of adequate photographs or drawings or plant specimens, if the description is not adequate or as complete as is reasonably possible, and submission of records or proof of ownership or of allegations made in the application. An applicant may add to or correct the description at any time, before the certificate is issued, upon a showing acceptable to the Secretary that the revised description is retroactively accurate. Courts shall protect others from any injustice which would result. The Secretary may accept rec­ords of the breeder and of any official seed certifying agency in this country as evidence of stability where applicable.
(3)A statement of the basis of the claim of the applicant that the variety is new.
(4)A declaration that a viable sample of basic seed (including any propagating material) necessary for propagation of the variety will be deposited and replenished periodically in a public repository in accordance with regulations to be established hereunder.
(5)A statement of the basis of applicant’s ownership.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Par. (1). Pub. L. 103–349, § 4(1), inserted at end “The variety shall be named in accordance with

Regulations

issued by the Secretary.” Par. (2). Pub. L. 103–349, § 4(2), in first sentence substituted “distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability” for “novelty”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 103–349, § 4(4), added par. (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (4). Par. (4). Pub. L. 103–349, § 4(3), (5), redesignated par. (3) as (4) and inserted “(including any propagating material)” after “basic seed”. Former par. (4) redesignated (5). Par. (5). Pub. L. 103–349, § 4(3), redesignated par. (4) as (5). 1980—Par. (3). Pub. L. 96–574 struck out provisions relating to adding of declaration by amendment.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–349 effective 180 days after Oct. 6, 1994, see section 15 of Pub. L. 103–349, set out as a note under section 2401 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 2422

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60