The DHS test for registration in the official catalog

Registration of varieties in the French Catalogue of Species and Varieties

The techniques used at the Ferme de Sainte Marthe and by the propagating farmers, true partners in conservation, help prevent the degeneration of varieties. They thus best meet the DUS test (distinction, uniformity, stability).

Distinction allows us to say that a given variety is truly distinct from another variety listed in the catalog.

Homogeneity means that, in a batch, the seeds have the same characteristics and therefore that the plants in a batch will be homogeneous.

Stability ensures the longevity of a variety and the criteria that define it.

The DUS test allows us to monitor a variety, but it is also used by control bodies. While this test is relaxed for varieties intended for the amateur market, we nevertheless offer seeds in our packets that are faithful to the initial description of the variety, which does not prevent us from observing mutations and evolutions of strains in our fields in terms of disease resistance, growth habit, physical and physiological appearance, etc.