The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 15 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include corn and wheat.

The 15 certificates are being issued under the Plant Variety Protection Act. The certificates require that the varieties be new, distinct, uniform and stable. The owners will have the exclusive right to reproduce, sell, import and export their products in the United States for the duration of protection.

The 15 certificates are:

• the PH54M, PH5HK, PH7JB, PH7JD, PH0GC, PH4CV, PH5FW, PH87H, PH8CW and PH86T varieties of corn, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Johnston, Iowa;
• the Stellar variety of common wheat, developed by Resource Seeds, Inc, Gilroy, California;
• the AR 839* variety of common wheat, developed by University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Fayetteville, Arkansas; and
• the 8302, 8308 and 8309 varieties of common wheat, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Windfall, Indiana.

* In the United States seed of this variety (1) shall be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed and (2) shall conform to the number of generations specified by the owner of the rights (84 STAT. 1542, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2321 ET SEQ).

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service administers the Plant Variety Protection Act, which provides time limited marketing protection to developers of new and distinct seed- reproduced and tuber-propagated plants ranging from farm crops to flowers. For additional information contact the Plant Variety Protection Office at telephone (301) 504-5518, fax (301) 504-5291 or the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/science/PVPO/pvp.htm.