Growing Trial Examination Guidance for Protecting New Plant Varieties

Examining Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability

Plant variety protection can only be granted to a new plant variety after confirming the variety is:
  • distinct (D) from any other variety whose existence is a matter of common knowledge, in any country, at the time of the filing of the application
  • sufficiently uniform (U) and stable (S), or “DUS” in short.
The authority for granting plant breeders’ rights is responsible for the examination, or “DUS Test,”. This examination is based mainly on growing tests, carried out by the authority or by separate institutions, such as public research institutes, acting on behalf of that authority or, in some cases, on the basis of growing tests carried out by the applicant under the supervision of the authority.
UPOV guidance on DUS examination:
  • sets out the principles and international standards to ensure that DUS examination is conducted in a harmonized way throughout UPOV members
  • establishes the basis to facilitate cooperation among UPOV members
  • helps to provide effective protection through the development of harmonized, internationally recognized descriptions of protected varieties.

Explore the UPOV Convention

Guidance and resources

IMAGE: UPOV/TAVEIRA

TGP documents

Test Guidelines Procedures for the examination of distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS)
IMAGE: cOURTESY OF MARCO  HOFFMAN

Test Guidelines

Detailed guidance for the harmonized examination of distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) of new plant varieties
IMAGE: courtesy of ERIC SCHULTE 

TG template

UPOV online tool for drafting Test Guidelines for plant variety examination according to the UPOV Convention

Technical webinars