ISO 17217-1:2014

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 17217-1
First edition
2014-04-15
Traditional Chinese medicine —
Ginseng seeds and seedlings —
Part 1:
Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
Médecine traditionnelle chinoise — Graines de ginseng et semis —
Partie 1: Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
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ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Descriptions . 3
5 Requirements . 5
5.1 General characteristics . 5
5.2 Ginseng seed . 5
5.3 Ginseng seedling . 6
6 Sampling . 7
7 Test methods . 7
7.1 Moisture content . 7
7.2 Seed width . 7
7.3 Plumpness . 7
7.4 Maturity . 7
7.5 Purity . 8
7.6 Seed viability. 8
7.7 100-seed weight. 8
7.8 Fungus testing . 8
7.9 Nematode testing . 9
7.10 Seedling weight . 9
8 Test report . 9
9 Packaging, storage and transportation . 9
10 Marking . 9
Bibliography .10
Foreword
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The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 249, Traditional Chinese medicine.
ISO 17217 consists of the following parts, under the general title Traditional Chinese medicine — Ginseng
seeds and seedlings:
— Part 1: Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 17217-1:2014(E)
Traditional Chinese medicine — Ginseng seeds and
seedlings —
Part 1:
Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
1 Scope
This part of ISO 17217 specifies minimum requirements and test methods for ginseng seeds and
seedlings, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. It is suitable for marketing of cultivated ginseng seeds and seedlings,
P. ginseng C.A. Meyer. It is also suitable for quality assurance for ginseng cultivators.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), International Rules for Seed Testing
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Working Sheets on Tetrazolium testing
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
seed lot
specified quantity of seed that is physically and uniquely identifiable
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.1]
3.2
primary sample
portion taken from the seed lot during one single sampling action
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.2]
3.3
composite sample
formed by combining and mixing all the primary samples taken from the seed lot
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.3]
3.4
subsample
portion of primary a sample obtained by reducing a sample
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.4]
3.5
submitted sample
sample to be submitted to the testing laboratory that comprises either the whole of the composite
sample or a subsample
Note 1 to entry: The submitted sample can be divided into subsamples, packed in different materials meeting
conditions, for specific tests (e.g. moisture or health).
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.5]
3.6
working sample
entire submitted sample or subsample to which one of the quality tests described in the ISTA Rules is
applied and which has at least the weight prescribed by the ISTA Rules for the particular test
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.7]
3.7
sealed
condition whereby a container which contains seeds is closed in such a way that it cannot be opened
to get access to the seed and be closed again without either destroying the seal or leaving evidence of
tampering
Note 1 to entry: This definition refers to the sealing of seed lots, as well as of seed samples.
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 2.2.8]
3.8
purity
weight percentage of pure seed fraction over the total weight of the working sample, in percent
Note 1 to entry: The pure seed refers to the species stated by the applicant, or found to predominate in the test,
and includes all botanical varieties and cultivars of that species.
[SOURCE: ISTA, International Rules for Seed Testing, definition 3.2.1]
3.9
seed width
largest distance(see Figure 1) from the side of raphe to its opposite, in millimetre
3.10
plump seed
seeds with a kernel to cavity ratio of not less than 3:4
Note 1 to entry: The plumpness of a single seed in this standard is estimated with its area ratio of the kernel to the
cavity in the cross section when the seed is cut longitudinally through the raphe (see Figure 1).
3.11
plumpness
index to show the development of kernels of seeds in a seed lot
Note 1 to entry: It is expressed as the percentage of the plump seeds, determined by number, in the working
sample.
3.12
mature seed
seed with an embryo that is pyriform or saddle in the shape
3.13
maturity
percentage of mature seed, determined by number, in the working sample
2 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

3.14
viability
index to show the potential ability of seed to germinate, or the capability of embryo to live
Note 1 to entry: It is expressed as the percentage of stained seeds in the working sample.
Note 2 to entry: It is estimated using the Topographical Tetrazolium Test.
3.15
100-seed weight
average weight of every 100 pure seeds of a working sample
3.16
seedling
young ginseng with hibernaculum, rhizome and root system and without aboveground stem and leaf
Note 1 to entry: Ginseng seedling is harvested in mid to late autumn or early spring when transplanting.
3.17
hibernaculum
hibernated bud with bud scales
3.18
rhizome
underground stem of ginseng seedling
3.19
seedling weight
average weight of single seedling
3.20
root length
total length of the root in cm, the distance from the shoulder of the taproot to the tip of the root
3.21
taproot length
the length of the taproot in cm, the distance from the shoulder of the taproot to the first lateral root
4 Descriptions
In this part of ISO 17217, ginseng seed is the dehydrated seed of plant P. ginseng C.A. Mayer and consists
of three basic parts: embryo, endosperm and the seed coat, as shown in Figure 1.
Key
A front view
B dorsal view
C cross section, longitudinally cut through the raphe
D slice of the kernel, shows the embryo
E section of the kernel of a stratified seed
1 seed width
2 raphe
3 seed coat
4 cavity of seed
5 kernel
6 endosperm
7 embryo
Figure 1 — Structure of ginseng seed
For practical application, seedlings are classified into three groups on the basis of their age: one-year-
old seedlings, two-year-old seedlings and three-year-old seedlings. Ginseng seedlings consist of five
parts: hibernaculum, rhizome, taproot, lateral root and fibrous root, as shown in Figure 2.
4 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Key
1 hibernaculum
2 rhizome
3 taproot
4 lateral root
5 fibrous root
Figure 2 — Ginseng seedling
5 Requirements
5.1 General
...