OAR 603-056-0415: Conditions of Packaging

The following conditions are considered as a minimum for packaging seed in hermetically sealed containers: (1) A container shall not allow water vapor penetration through any wall, including the wall seals, greater than 0.05 gram of water per 24 hours per 100 square inches of surface at 100°F with a relative humidity on one side of 90 percent and on the other of zero percent. Water vapor penetration or WVP is measured by the standards of the U.S. Bureau of Standards as: gm. H20/24 hr./100 sq.in./100°F/90%RH V. 0% RH (2) The percentage of moisture, on a wet weight basis, of agricultural or vegetable seeds subject to the provisions of this rule shall not exceed the following: Maximum Percent Seed Moisture: (a) Gramineae Family: (A) Sweet corn — 8.0; (B) Kentucky bluegrass — 8.0; (C) Red Fescue — 8.0; (D) Perennial ryegrass — 8.0. (b) Liliaceae Family: Onion, leek, chive, welsh onion — 6.5; (c) Chenopodiaceae Family: (A) Beet, chard — 7.5; (B) Spinach — 8.0. (d) Cruciferae Family: Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, Chinese cabbage, kale, turnip, rutabaga, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, mustard, radish — 5.0; (e) Leguminosae Family: (A) Snap bean, lima bean, pea — 7.0; (B) Crimson clover — 8.0. (f) Umbelliferae Family: (A) Carrot, celery, celeriac — 7.0; (B) Parsnip — 6.0; (C) Parsley — 6.5. (g) Solanaceae Family: (A) Tomato — 5.5; (B) Pepper — 4.5; (C) Eggplant — 6.0. (h) Cucurbitaceae Family: (A) Cucumber, muskmelon, squash, pumpkin — 6.0; (B) Watermelon — 6.5. (i) Compositae Family: Lettuce — 5.5; (j) All other agricultural or vegetable seed not listed above — 8.0; (k) Turf or Pasture Seed Mixtures — 8.0. (3) A tolerance of one (1.0) percent moisture is applicable to the maximum percentage of moisture listed in section (2) of this rule and the percentage of moisture found by an official test. The percentage of moisture shall be determined by the air oven method.