Author : Nongporn Mayudee

Summary : The study considered the direct seed importer and local seed distributor. Seven BRASSICACEAE from Australia, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, United States, New Zealand, and Japan were studied: Brassica chinensis L., Brassica pekinensis (Lour) Rupr. var. cylindrica Tsen & Lee, Brassica juncea Czen & Cross, Brassica albograbrata Bailey., Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis L., Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L., and Raphanus sativus L. Purity test was determined using ANOVA while the germination test was done using CRD. Duncan's Multiple Range Test was used to statistically compare within variables at 5 percent level of significance. Results showed that the local seed distributor supplied more pure seeds as compared with the direct importer, irrespective of species and country of origin. In terms of species, Brassica oleracea va. botyrtis ranked first in purity, regardless of source (importer and local distributor) and country of origin. Among the countries of origin, Japan scored the highest in the purity test given values averaging 99.99 percent. The highest contaminants of the imported seed, regardless of species, were weed seeds with values ranging from 0 to 2.40 percent. Two Brassica species exceeded the tolerable limit for weed seed contaminants 0.50 percent set by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM). A total of 32 weed species were identified to have contaminated the imported Brassica seeds. The highest count, 640 seeds was that of Chenopodium spp. Eleven species of identified weeds, however, were not able to germinate because the seeds were either dead or hard seeds. Among the weed species, Echium plantagineum and Lepidium campestre posed a threat of colonization due to its high seed germination