Procedure agricultural crops incl. VCU

One of the tasks of the Board for plant varieties is to register varieties and grant national plant breeders' rights. These applications can be submitted by e-mail and via an online module. An application consists of an administrative and a DUS-test.

The administrative test consists of checking the data below. You can submit this data to the Board for plant varieties, team support. They are:

• Application form
• Technical Questionnaire
• Photo, not mandatory
• Denomination proposal
• Information about the novelty of the variety (only relevant when applying for plant breeders’ rights)

Naktuinbouw performs the DUS-test. This test examines whether the variety concerned is distinct, uniform and stable. More information about the DUS-test can be found on the Naktuinbouw website.

VCU stands for Value for Cultivation and Use. This involves determining the agricultural value of the variety. This research is needed to gain admission to the national catalogue for varieties of agricultural crops. The Board for plant varieties is responsible for carrying out this (statutory) VCU.

For CGO research, in addition to the application form and TQ for admission and/or plant breeders' rights, the application form and TQ for CGO research must also be completed. 

More information about VCU 

If the variety meets the DUS-requirements, Naktuinbouw makes a positive final report, including the variety description. The Board for plant varieties sends the final report including the variety description to the applicant together with an approval form. If the applicant agrees with the final report and variety description, the registration of the variety and/or national breeders' rights can be granted by the Board.

As hemp is used for multiple purposes, a separate schedule has been created for registration with a frequently asked questions section.

More information on VCU and the registration of Hemp can be found at the bottom of this page.