The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 16 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include bluegrass, corn, fescue and ryegrass.

The 16 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 16 certificates are:

• the Freedom II variety of Kentucky bluegrass, developed by J.R. Simplot Company, Post Falls, Idaho;

• the PH6CF, PH70R, PH76T, PH7AB, PH7BW, PH876, PH8KG, PH8PG, PH91C, PH6MN, PH51K, PH705, and PH890 varieties of corn, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Johnston, Iowa;

• the Scaldis II variety of hard fescue, developed by Advanta USA, Inc., Albany, Oregon; and

• the Phantom variety of perennial ryegrass, developed by ProSeeds Marketing, Inc., Lebanon, Oregon.

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.