This Test Guideline is designed to assess effects on seedling emergence and early growth of higher plants following exposure to the test substance applied to the soil surface or into the soil.

Seeds are placed in contact with soil treated with the test substance and evaluated for effects following usually 14 to 21 days after 50 % emergence of the seedlings in the control group. Endpoints measured are visual assessment of seedling emergence, biomass measurements, shoot height, and the visible detrimental effects on different parts of the plant. The test can be conducted in order to determine the dose-response curve, or at a single concentration/rate as a limit test, according to the aim of the study. An appropriate statistical analysis is used to obtain effective concentration ECx or effective application rate ERx for the most sensitive parameter(s) of interest. Also, the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) can be calculated in this test.