Volume 5 No.3 July-Sep. 2012
The National Seed Association of India Magazine
1
From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
A Step Towards Quality Seed 53 Security Frontiers in Seed Sector 75 New in Jharkhand - Role Of Sau
- Success Story Of UAS, Dharwad
Public Goods for Public Good
Message
nsa
National Seed Association of India
Message from the desk of President
F
or India to retain its position as one of the major growing economies of the world, there is need to maintain GDP upward of 9% in the next 5 years and if this is to be achieved, the agriculture will have to grow at more than 4% per annum. This growth of agriculture, on sustainable basis, can be achieved by fostering innovations in various agricultural inputs, processes and systems and their delivery on to the farm. Seed is one of the most important technology capable of providing such requisite growth in agriculture. For a sustainable and growing agricultural economy, there is strong need for all the stakeholders to work together, especially public systems and the private enterprise, in a spirit of partnership and towards common national objective. The seed industry today has created inclusive opportunities to enhance productivity of crops by embracing new technologies, while extending them to the Indian farmer, developing a public service in its own way. In this issue we wish to concentrate on the topic “Public Goods for Public Good �, which will help us to develop cost effective systems and processes, while utilizing existing resources and extend quality benefits to society at large. In a country full of creativity, we need to nurture collaborative opportunities between public and private partners and extend these benefits to all sections in a developing economy. Over the years, the public sector consolidated its resources and knowledge on basic agricultural sciences, while the private sector applied the knowledge to develop products and services .We need to further nurture this symbiotic relationship, complementing each other's strength to serve a larger need of the growing population. Although a framework is in place to strengthen the partnerships, it is time to make it operational. There is a need to dispel any conflicting notions to establish working and effective partnerships We are pleased that there is recognition on both sides i.e. public and private sector to collaborate as equal partners in building growth and once implemented it will contribute significantly to the intended 4% agricultural growth.
Dr. K.V. Subbarao President
CONTENTS
nsa
National Seed Association of India
Message from the desk of President
From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India - H.S. Gupta, Malavika Dadlani and K.V.Prabhu
1 - 25
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 - M Srivastava, RC Agrawal and PL Gautam
27 -37
Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property: A Case Study of Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore - Amrik Singh Sidhu, Sudha Mysore, A. Krishnamoorthy, S. Ganeshan, M. Kavitha and S. Vinay
39 - 43
Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization - Dr. S.R. RAO
45 - 52
A Step Towards Quality Seed Security- Success Story Of UAS, Dharwad - R.R. Hanchinal,
53 - 55
Vegetable Varieties/Hybrids Developed by IIVR and Possibilities of Public-Private Partnerships in Vegetable Seeds - Prakash S. Naik, Sudhakar Pandey, Shailesh K. Tiwari
57 - 73
New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand - Role Of SAU - R.P. Singh
75 - 87
Role of JNKVV in the Development of Seed Sector - S.K. Rao and Dukhishyam Kar
89 - 101
Price Controls and Biotechnology Innovation: Are State Government Policies Reducing Research and Innovation by the Ag Biotech Industry in India? - Carl E. Pray and Latha Nagarajan
103 - 114
EVENTS 1. NSAI Annual General Meeting 2012
116 - 117
2. Sixth International Hybrid Rice Symposium
118 - 119
3. NSAI launches Project Saksham: An initiative to provide capacity building to the Seed Industry
120
4. NSC Celebrates its' Golden Jubilee Year
121
5. The 6th International Hybrid Rice Symposium -Bayer Satellite Symposium
122 - 123
Honours & Awards Bayer Crop Science's Child Care Program wins prestigious Corporate Leadership Award
125
Seed & Agriculture Statistics
127 - 128
Interview New NSAI Members
CONTENTS
Message from the desk of Executive Director
ABOUT NSAI National Seed Association of India (NSAI) is the apex organization representing the Indian Seed Industry. The vision of NSAI is to create a dynamic, innovative and internationally competitive, research based industry producing high performance, high quality seeds and planting materials which benefit farmers and significantly contribute to the sustainable growth of Indian Agriculture. The mission of NSAI is to encourage investment in state of the art R&D to bring to the Indian farmer superior genetics and technologies, which are high performing and adapted to a wide range of agroclimatic zones. It actively contributes to the seed industry policy development, with the concerned governments, to ensure that policies and regulations create an enabling environment, including public acceptance, so that the industry is globally competitive. NSAI promotes harmonization and adoption of best commercial practices in production, processing, quality control and distribution of seeds.
NSAI GOVERNING COUNCIL 2011-2013 President
:
Dr. K. V. Subbarao (PHI Seeds)
Vice President
:
Mr. N. P. Patel (Western Agri Seeds)
General Secretary
:
Mr. M. Harish Reddy (Ganga Kaveri Seeds)
Treasurer
:
Mr. K.S. Narayanaswamy (Geo Biotechnologies)
MEMBERS Dr. M. Ramasami (Rasi Seeds) immediate President
Mr. M. Sabir (Manisha Agri Biotech)
Mr. Bhupen Dubey (Advanta India)
Dr. D.B. Desai (Navbharat Seeds)
Mr. Pawan Kansa (Kohinoor Seeds)
Mr. Venkateswarlu Yaganti (Yaaganti Seeds)
Mr. Manish Patel (Incotec India)
Dr. P. Sateesh Kumar (Prabhat Agri Biotech)
Mr. Gyanendra Shukla (Monsanto India)
Mr. K. Niranjan Kumar (Garc Seeds)
Mr. Aloke Marodia (Pan Seeds)
Mr. Vaibhav Kashikar (Ankur Seeds)
Mr. Satyanarayan Rathi (Divya Seeds)
Mr. S.K. Roongta (National Seeds Corp.)
NSAI SECRETARIAT Mr. Raju Kapoor
Dr. N.K. Dadlani
Dr. Seema Sehgal
Mrs. Tulika Singh
Executive Director
Director
Asst Director
Asst Director
Dr. N.K. Dadlani & Mrs. Tulika Singh
nsa
National Seed Association of India
MESSAGE
Message from the desk of Executive Director
V
ision of NSAI is to create a dynamic, innovative and internationally competitive, research based industry producing high performance, high quality seeds and planting materials which benefit farmers and significantly contribute to the sustainable growth of Indian agriculture. In pursuance of this vision, NSAI has been carrying out various initiatives where collective knowledge and skill of the country can be applied to create innovative and relevant solutions for betterment of farmers . While there has been a significant progress made in accomplishing the above objectives, there still remains a significant scope to convert the knowledge into wealth for the country. A significant amount of research work has taken place in the country in the public systems, since independence, on technology and solutions (public goods) that could make material difference to the welfare of the farmers (public good). This highlights the significant scope for value creation by making available such public goods for the benefit of the public (stakeholders of agriculture). The theme of this issue of 'Seed Times' is to address this very concern of rapidly making available the research, being carried out in the public domain, duly converted into solutions, for efficient use of the farmers. A large value can be harnessed for the country by better and higher level of cooperation and coordination between the public system, having tremendous pool of knowledge and skill ( having potential for producing public goods of significant value), combined with the enterprise of the private sector can create a win-win breakthrough from the present agriculture scenario. Our intent in this issue was to invite public system to showcase their research capabilities and resources to all the potential users in seed industry, with a common objective of putting a platform for generating joint and common opportunities on the principle of “India First�. While this is only an initial effort, we sincerely hope that, moving forward, there will be larger cooperation and collaboration jointly for the wealth creation for the nation. We would be keen to have your feedback.
Raju Kapoor (Executive Director)
From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India H.S. Gupta, Malavika Dadlani and K.V.Prabhu Indian Agricultura Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012
T
adequate use of irrigation and fertilizers, followed by the establishment of a well-organized seed sector. It is estimated that the direct contribution of quality seed alone to the total production is nearly 15-20%, which can be further raised upto 45% with efficient management of other inputs. Therefore, the public crop research institutions are constantly working towards strengthening the seed sector of the country through
he National Agricultural Research System (NARS) of t h e c o u n t r y, c o m p r i s i n g 9 7 R e s e a r c h Institutes/Centres, 79 All India Coordinated and Network Projects and 5 deemed universities within the ICAR and 56 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), is the backbone of the country's agriculture, which was instrumental in ushering the Green Revolution and sustaining the gains through the years that has made the country not only self-sufficient in food grains but net exporter of many agricultural commodities..
? development and release of improved crop
varieties to suit the needs of different agro-climatic conditions, particularly the less favourable environments
Genetic enhancement was the main technological intervention effected through the NARS that enabled the Green Revolution to happen in India unlike many other countries where the same original seed source was supplied at the same time. This was made possible due to the development of improved crop varieties, using diverse plant genetic resources and combining the conventional and modern breeding technologies, in conjunction with
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
? standardization of maintenance breeding and seed
multiplication systems ? production of sufficient quantities of high quality
Breeder Seed of these varieties to meet the demands of the seed producing agencies both in public and private sectors
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India ? horizontal spread of new varieties and quality
technical inputs in developing protocols, guidelines and regulatory mechanisms for the implementation of the Act, as well as in capacity building to create trained manpower to run the seed supply chain. With the launch of the National Seeds Project (NSP), supported by the World Bank in 1974, simultaneous scientific studies were initiated in every aspect of seed science, encompassing maintenance breeding, seed production chain, hybrid seed production, seed quality assurance and enhancement, seed health management, processing and storage etc.
seeds through farmers' participatory approach and ? training farmers to undertake seed production for
supporting the seed sectors in different parts of the country.
Crop Improvement and Release of New Varieties The crop improvement programme of the country is supported by one of the best systems of assessment of the performance of the improved varieties, the All India Coordinated Research Project on various crops (AICRP), which functions through a sound scientific analyses of the multi-location yield trials supported by a series of unbiased evaluations carried out by NARS partners for all involved ancillary and supportive data ranging from agronomic situations, physiological manifestations, quality parameters and pest & disease nurseries. The AICRPs for each crop annually identify the best technology through a regularized, collective decision making process before the next season's crop is planted. This model has gained global recognition and is being adopted by the international crop variety improvement programmes. Though the history of plant variety improvement in the country is very old, a systematic institutional approach to variety development, based on evaluation of germplasm, hybridization and selection of genotypes based on performance evaluation (yield, quality, reaction of biotic and abiotic stresses, and other advantages viz., maturity, consumer preference etc.) started only in the early twentieth century when the Agricultural Research Institute and College was established at Pusa (Bihar) in 1905. The first All India Coordinated Crop Improvement Project (Maize) was started at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) by the ICAR in 1957, which was followed by many more in the 60's and 70's, covering all major field crops. The efficient and well-orchestrated efforts of the NARS resulted in the release of a large number of varieties in all major field crops, vegetables and horticultural species.
Thus the “Seed Chain” envisaged by the scientific breeding procedures were supported by an infrastructure within the public sector that enabled standardization of seed quality as well as production of quality seed to help farmers access the improved varietal seed.
Contributions of IARI Varieties In a country that has most number of farmers with holdings less than 1.5 hectares, the most productive technology with least investment is the “improved crop variety” developed by genetic enhancement. The technology is both scale-and size-neutral, giving similar advantages to both marginal and large farmers, irrespective of the scale of operations on the farming. Proudly, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI, popularly known as “Pusa Institute” among farmers) led the nation in developing the crop varietal products as well as the human resources to carry out the job, the reason for the dramatic success the country has witnessed in agricultural production and productivity enhancement, despite its dependence on monsoon and diverse agroecological conditions vulnerable to frequent climatic vagaries of the tropics. Since its establishment in 1905, the institute has produced more than 450 varieties of field crops ranging from food crops such as wheat, rice, maize, pearl millet, sorghum, chickpea, pigeonpea, mung bean, urd bean, lentil, oilseed crops such as mustard, soybean, groundnut and commercial crops such as sugarcane, cotton, tobacco, etc (Table 2) which have been released/ identified for different agro ecosystem and very much liked by the farmers in the areas of their adaptation.
Seed Supply System In order to make available the seeds of these improved varieties to the farmers, the Govt. of India took necessary measures by establishing the National Seeds Corporation and State Farms Corporation of India in 1963, followed by another 15 State Seed Corporations in the subsequent years and also enacting a legislation to ensure quality seed supply in the form of the Seeds Act (1966).
Simultaneously, the institute also led the vegetable improvement programme of the country, releasing ~170 varieties / hybrids in vegetable crops, fruits and flowers (Table 2), it is widely acknowledged by the veterans of the Indian Seed industry that IARI vegetable varieties, such as
The NARS again played a major role in providing the
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
okra cv. Pusa sawani, tomato cv. Pusa Ruby, onion cv. Pusa Red, brinjal cv. Pusa Purple Long etc. laid the foundation to the profitable seed business in India. Some of the most significant contributions in variety development, which has played a vital role in achieving food security, enhancing farmers' and profitability and supporting the seed sector are detailed below:
result, wheat seed, which was only being produced & marketed by the public sector, is also being taken up by the private sector. The IARI bred varieties proved to be superior to local varieties in their grain yield, adaptability, resistance to rusts and other prevailing diseases of national and zonal importance. A number of durum wheat varieties released by the institute not only helped in providing the natural barrier in spread of rust disease but also enhances the profitability of the farmers. Presently the focus is on breeding high yielding, quality wheat varieties with resistance to rusts, and suitability for cultivation following conservation agriculture practices and developing hybrid wheat.
Wheat Wheat is an important life-sustaining crop of India. Developing highly productive wheat varieties for various agro ecological zones of the country has been one of the main research priorities of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). IARI with its network of wheat research stations in north, south, east, west and central regions is truly a national institute, developing varieties for all six agro-ecological regions of the country.
The annual contribution of IARI wheat varieties in improving the economic conditions of farmers of India can be envisaged by the area under cultivation and gross economic return that these are bringing to the farmers. IARI varieties contribute to 15.29 % of the total breeder seed production in the country and cover an area of 4.1mha. However much more area is covered by IARI varieties as the seed replacement ratio is just 12 and this is not taking into account the farmer to farmer seed supply.
IARI has developed more than 105 wheat varieties including the first release of NP 10, in 1909 and other varieties before the enactment of Seeds Act in 1966. In the later years, varieties like HD 2329 and HD 2285 dominated the area coverage through the 80s and 90s, till these became susceptible to leaf and yellow rusts. In the new millennium again several improved varieties were released (Table 3). Seven recently released varieties viz., HD 2967 (Timely sown irrigated conditions of NWPZ), Pusa Basant - HD 2985 (late sown irrigated condition of NEPZ), Pusa Bahar- HD 2987 (timely sown restricted irrigation and rainfed conditions of PZ) , HD 3043 (restricted irrigated conditions of NWPZ), Pusa Prachi -HI 1563 (late sown irrigated condition of NEPZ ), Pusa Suketi -HS 507 (timely sown irrigated and rainfed conditions of NHZ), HD 3059 (late sown irrigated conditions of North Western Plains zone) have attracted the attention of farmers because of their improved productivity, yield quality and resistance to diseases and spreading fast. As a
Rice The traditional Basmati cultivars are tall, prone to lodging, photoperiod and temperature sensitive and very low yielding. The research on genetic improvement of Basmati rice carried out at IARI has reduced the duration from 160 days to 115-140 days and enhanced the average productivity from 2- 2.5 tons/ha to 4-6 tons/ha. in the improved dwarf varieties and ~7 tons/ha in hybrid as compared to Traditional Basmati varieties. This has resulted in saving of irrigation water and significant improvement in country's forex earning from $ 80 million in 1995-96 to Rs 15,500 crores in 2011-12, to which the contribution of IARI varieties, particularly Pusa Basmati 1121 and Pusa Basmati 1, is approximately 75%. After successful development of first semi-dwarf high yielding Basmati rice variety Pusa Basmati 1 (PB-1) in late eighties, in the past one decade the institute has developed six aromatic/ Basmati rice varieties namely Pusa Sugandh 2, Pusa Sugandh 3, Pusa Sugandh 5, Pusa Basmati 1121, Improved Pusa Basmati 1 (Pusa 1460) and Pusa Basmati 6 and the first super fine aromatic rice hybrid Pusa RH 10. Pusa Sugandh series and Pusa RH 10 matures in 110-125 days with an average yield of 55-70
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
q/ha and are suited for multiple cropping system whereas, cv. Pusa Basmati 1121 has the longest cooked rice length and is a choice of consumers in domestic as well as international market. Improved Pusa Basmati 1 (Pusa 1460) is the product of molecular breeding combining resistance to bacterial leaf blight with other traits of Pusa Basmati 1. Pusa Basmati 6 (Pusa 1401), has grain and cooking qualities superior to Pusa Basmati 1121 and tolerance to lodging on account of reduced plant height. These superior Basmati varieties and the hybrid PRH-10 have attracted a number of private seed companies to partner with IARI, through signed MoUs, for commercial production of the seeds of these varieties.
seed production of parental lines of hybrids and composites in the country. The current focus is not only to breed superior, disease resistant hybrids but also to incorporate high levels of micronutrients. During the period of 1980-2010 a total of 5 sorghum varieties (one single cut variety Pusa Chari 9 , two multicut varieties Pusa Chari 23 and Pusa Chari 615 and two multi-cut hybrids, Pusa Chari Hybrid 106 and Pusa Chari Hybrid 109) were developed by IARI and released for cultivation in NCR of Delhi and other areas of the country.
Maize IARI has been the pioneer in developing early maturing maize hybrids PEHM-1,2,3 and PEEHM-5, suitable for cultivation in different parts of the country. These hybrids due to early maturity, save (i) irrigation, (ii) require less labour, and (iii) vacate the field for succeeding crop, thus providing farmers flexibility in crop cultivation. Besides, early maturing hybrids are suitable for adapting to uncertainty associated with climate change effects such as delayed monsoon. For instance yield level of ~3.5 t/ha is achievable even when planted one month late condition during kharif season. Due to the multi-fold advantages Pusa maize hybrids have been popular choice among the farming community. During 2009, Pusa hybrids occupied 83.16% of the breeders' seed indent for the parental lines of all hybrids. Currently, the institute is developing early maturing quality protein maize (QPM) hybrids and specialty maize in addition to full maturity maize hybrids and breeding for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
The current focus of the institute is developing short duration and semi-dwarf Basmati varieties with the finest grain quality and multiple disease resistance. In addition to Basmati rice varieties, the institute has also developed a number of non-aromatic rice varieties of which Pusa 44 has been most widely cultivated in Punjab and Haryana for two decades. Whereas, short duration varieties in PNR series gained popularity in the eastern states.
Pulses The institute also has a comprehensive programme in developing high yielding, short duration varieties in major pulses combining with superior grain quality and tolerance to biotic & abiotic stresses. The quality seed production of IARI chickpea varieties is being carried out in close collaboration with State Farm Corporation of India (SFCI) since last 20 years More than 15000 q of quality seeds of IARI Chickpea varieties are produced by SFCI each year. At present our varieties like Pusa 256, 362, 372, 391, BGD 72, Pusa 1053, 1088, 1103, 1105, 1108 are in breeder, foundation and certified seed chain at SFCI. It is pertinent to mention that more than 50 % of quality seed by SFCI belongs to IARI chickpea varieties which indicate the popularity of these varieties at national level. Chickpea improvement programme at IARI has a strong molecular complementation to it. Mapping populations for drought genomics, yield QTLs are being developed in collaborations with several national and international
Pearl Millet and Sorghum Pearl millet is an important crop of arid zone where rainfall is limited. It is the fourth most important cereal next to rice, wheat and maize and is grown in about 9.3 mill. ha., chiefly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh which accounts for 90% of the area. The variety improvement programme of this crop at IARI was initiated in 1956 with the introduction of considerable variability from several African countries. The institute has developed 8 hybrids and 6 composite varieties for cultivation in different parts of the country both for irrigated and rainfed conditions. IARI varieties contribute to 33.7 % of the total breeder
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
organizations. Besides, the institute also has a strong programme in developing extra large seeded varieties of Desi and Kabuli chickpea in view of the huge demand in international market.
Vijay has been released during 2008 which gives 25 q/ha average yield with high temperature tolerance at seedling stage and is gaining popularity among the farmers. Recently, Pusa Mustard 26 has been released for late sown conditions, which performs well even under November sowings.
Pigeonpea is an important source of protein (20%) for supplementing the energy rich cereal diet. The research programme on Pigeonpea at IARI has resulted in release of 13 varieties of pigeonpea since 1972, which include short duration varieties, fitting Arhar-Wheat rotation, to long duration varieties fitting to Pre-Rabi (post rainy). Currently it is focusing on the development of short to medium duration, determinate and high yielding varieties as well as hybrids.
Realising the need for healthy oil quality, erucic acid the undesirable fatty acid in mustard oil has been reduced significantly to levels which qualify for zero erucic acid content (less than 2%) from the improved quality mustard varieties like Pusa Karishma, Pusa Mustard-21, Pusa Mustard 22 and Pusa Mustard 24. The total share of IARI bred varieties ranges from 21.89 to 41.66% of total breeder seed at national level since last five years.
Lentil is a relatively drought tolerant rainfed crop. The bold seeded variety L 4076, possessing wilt resistance, was released in 1995 by this institute. Later a small seeded variety L 4147 was released for cultivation in north western plains. L 4147 is a biofortified variety rich in iron content. Green seeded variety L 4594 was released for cultivation in NCR region in 2006.
Vegetables As mentioned before, IARI is one of the leading centres of vegetable research. Since its establishment, about 170 varieties, including 26 hybrids in all major vegetables have been released by IARI. These varieties combine high productivity with tolerance to major diseases, pests and abiotic stresses as well as superior quality to suit consumer preferences. Fifteen, of the 26 hybrids resistance to different temperatures, 12 have tolerance to extreme temperatures making them suitable for growing under changing climate and 20 are specially developed for better nutrition or specialtyuses in the industry. The lists of the popular varieties and hybrids developed by IARI are given in Table 4 & 5 along with their special traits. Though the National Seeds Corporation and several seed companies produce seeds of these varieties through DAC indents of Breeder Seed, owing to the popularity and market demand of these varieties, a number of private seed companies have signed MoUs with IARI for commercial seed production. In addition, several companies are coming forward and showing interest in obtaining the breeding lines of vegetables from IARI under MoUs.
Mungbean varieties viz. PS 16 and Pusa Baisakhi developed by this institute had very wide adaptability and were suitable for cultivation in spring summer / kharif season. Later the emphasis shifted on earliness and bold seed size. Pusa Vishal and Pusa Ratna are early maturing, bold seeded varieties with attractive seed colour. Now the focus is on development of varieties maturing up to 50 days for diversification of wheat-rice cropping system. Pusa 9531 is released for spring summer cultivation, whereas Pusa 0672 was released for cultivation in Northern Hills.
Mustard Rapeseed mustard is the second most important edible oil crop of the country and plays a very significant role in the oil economy. Among the four rapeseed mustard species, Indian mustard alone occupies more than 80 % area. Brassica breeding programme of IARI has always been in the forefront. Twenty seven varieties have been developed since 1974 when the first yellow sarson variety Pusa Kalyani was released. IARI is the first Institute to develop a short duration variety of Indian mustard Pusa Agrani, which matures in 110 days. Subsequently, four more short duration varieties viz. Pusa Mahak, Pusa Tarak, Pusa Mustard 25 and Pusa Mustard 27 have also been developed which mature from 100-120 days and fit well in the multiple cropping systems. A bold seeded variety Pusa
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Seed Production In addition to developing superior crop varieties and supplying the breeder seed of the notified varieties to the seed producing agencies in public and private sectors, IARI has also made significant contributions in developing the plant-to-row / ear-to-row progeny methods for nucleus and breeder seed production in self/cross and often cross-pollinated species (Sharma, 1986), which provided a model for all crops. Since 1968 the institute has been
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
organizing training programmes in the areas of seed quality evaluation, seed production, seed legislation, plant variety protection, seed health testing, seed quality enhancement, maintenance breeding and genetic purity testing for developing skilled human resource to support the seed sector.
MoU. There are several varieties of gladiolus, marigold, chrysanthemum etc., ready to be commercialized. As stated before, in order to make available the seeds of improved crop varieties across the country, IARI has entered into successful business partnership with a number of private seed companies. This is not only beneficial to small to medium companies, which do not have extensive R&D facilities, but also helps in expanding the product baskets of the bigger companies. However, there are also some unscrupulous seed producers who are selling seeds of several IARI varieties (both field and vegetable crops) in different names without recognizing
The institute has also carried out pioneering work in standardizing hybrid seed production protocols for rice, sunflower, maize, tomato, brinjal, cauliflower and several cucurbits under open and protected cultivation conditions in northern plains, to provide economically viable alternatives to commercial seed production, which at present, is confined to some pockets in southern India.
Figure 1: Seed Production at IARI (2005-2012)
Since a large proportion of farmers in India still use farmsaved seed, the institute has taken several steps such as, organizing farmer groups for quality seed production, training farmers for quality seed production and providing the seed producer entrepreneurs with source seed materials and technical support. A farmers' producer company registered as 'Beej India� has also been promoted by IARI to support this activity.
the contribution made by the Institute. It is necessary that the seed producing companies recognize the contribution made by the research institutes and maintain the desired quality so that the farmers get the full benefit.
The way forward With the open-door and encouraging policies of the ICAR to foster stronger public-private partnerships, the time is ripe for public and private seed production companies to take advantage of the scientific expertise, enormous wealth of advanced genetic materials and multidisciplinary and multi-location trial facilities of the public sector and combin these judiciously with planned investments in technology acquisition product development and marketing network development, so that the best variety seeds can be made available to the farmers.
The institute has made all- round efforts to strengthen the quality seed supply system through (i) enhanced breeder seed production, (ii) partnership with the seed industry as well as (iii) farmers' participatory seed production. The breeder seed and Pusa Seed (TL seed of IARI) production has increased steadily over the past 5 years both for field crops and vegetables (Fig 1 / Table 5). Also for the first time / one of the chrysanthemum varieties 'Pusa Anmol' was transferred for commercialization of planting material to M/s Leed better Seeds under/signed
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IARI established in 2009 a 'Business Planning and Development Unit' (BPD), a novel initiative supported by
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From Variety Development to Seed Multiplication: Contribution of IARI in Establishing the Seed Supply System in India
National Agricultural Innovation Project. This unique business model is devised to utilize the strength and innovative potential of IARI. These Zonal Technology Management – Business Planning and Development Unit (ZTM-BPD), also set up at 20 other ICAR institutions, are for the benefit of society through commercialization of agricultural technologies. The BPD unit facilitates Public Private Partnership (PPP) and extends support to industries and entrepreneurs with technologies, consultancies, project planning and business development. Besides developing a large number of partnerships (Memorandum of Understandings) with several private sector seed companies for commercialization of its crop technologies, IARI has also
set up a farmers' producer company 'Beej India' improving the reach of the technologies to farmers.
India, with its diverse agro climate, can produce seeds of most of the crops of tropical or temperate origin. With the availability of trained scientific manpower, as well as skilled agricultural farm power at reasonable wages, India has the potential to become a major player in global seed trade. Membership and adoption of OECD seed schemes have also widened the scope of international seed trade by India. The meager share <0.3% in the seed export market can be expanded manifolds bringing in valuable fonex to the country. Thus, the public sector-bred varieties can truly contribute in building a profitable agricultural sector and sound economy.
Table 1: Total number of notified varieties developed by IARI
Field crops
IARI
Cereals
88
Millets
46
Pulses
67
Oil seeds
28
Fibre crops
4
Forage crops
11
Total Field crops
244
Horticultural Crops Bulb vegetables
8
Cole crops
26
Cucurbits
26
Flower crops
16
Fruit crops
18
Fruit vegetables
34
Green leafy vegetables
9
Root vegetables
15
Legume Vegetable
17
Total horticultural Crops
169
Grand total (Both Field crops and Horticultural crops)
413
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for
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Table 2 : Field crop varieties released during last 10 years (2000-onwards) Name of variety
Year of release
State(s) for which released
Key characteristics
WHEAT VSM (HD 2733)
Kaushambi (HW 2045)
Poorva (HD 2824)
Urja (HD 2864)
Pusa Vishesh (HD 2851)
2001
2002
2004
2004
2005
North Eastern Plain Zone (Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Plains of far Eastern States) North Eastern Plain Zone (Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Plains of far Eastern States) North Eastern Plain Zone (Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Sikkim and Plains of far Eastern states) Central Zone (Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jhansi Division of U.P. and Kota Division of Rajasthan)
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 50.0 q/ ha ? Double dwarf (98.2 cm) with medium early
maturity ? Greater stability against all the three rusts and more especially against leaf rust and leaf blight
? Suitable for irrigated late sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 41.0 q/ ha ? Early maturing and possesses terminal heat
tolerance, ? High level of resistance to leaf rust, stem rust and leaf blight
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 46 q/ha ? Plasticity to delayed sowings making it suitable for
rice-wheat cropping system. ? Tolerant to rusts and leaf blight
? Suitable for late sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 42 q/ha ? Highly resistant to brown rust and foot rot and
tolerant to black rust
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 56 q/ha ? Resistant to all the three rusts
Pusa Gold (WR 544)
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
2005
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for irrigated late and very late sown
conditions ? Average seed yield is 37.3 q/ha ? Possesses genes for thermo tolerance and for leaf rust resistance, ? Fits well in intensive cropping systems
8
Name of variety Pusa Wheat 107 (HD 2888)
Year of release
State(s) for which released
2006
North eastern plains zone
Key characteristics ? Suitable for timely sown rainfed conditions ? Average seed yield is 22.5 q/ha ? High degree of resistance to leaf and stem rusts and
moderate resistance to stripe rust, ? High extraction (flour recovery) without disturbing
the quality and micro nutrient contents Pusa Tripti (HD 2833)
2006
Peninsular (Maharastra and Karnataka) zone
? Suitable for late sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 38.9 q/ha ? High degree of adult plant resistance to leaf and
stem rust, ? A product specific variety possessing >8/10 score for
chapatti making Pusa Wheat 111 (HD 2932)
Pusa Wheat – 109 (HD 2894)
2007
2008
Central (MP, Chhatishgarh, Gujrat, Kota & Udaipur divisions of Rajasthan) and Penninsular (Maharastra and Karnataka) zones National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for late sown conditions ? Average seed yield is CZ – 41.7 q/ha, PZ - 43.3 q/ha ? Adult plant resistance against brown and
yellow rust, ? High zinc content ? Wider adaptability
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 52.0 q/ha ? It carries different APR Lr13 gene that will act as
buffer against leaf rust. ? It is a non IB/1R lines and therefore no sticky dough.
Pusa Wheat – 110 (HD 4713)
2008
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 47.1 q/ha ? A durum wheat variety . ? It is suitable for pasta products as the average
yellow berry incidence is only 2.8%. ? The variety also possesses the band 45 for ã gliadin, which is a desirable trait. ? Resistant to brown rust under both natural and artificial conditions. HD 2967
2010
North Western and North Eastern Plain Zone
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is NWPZ: 50.4 q/ ha,
NEPZ: 44.4 q/ha ? The variety has wide adaptability. ? It carries diversified genes other than 1B/1R. ? It possesses very high adult plant resistance against
most prevalent leaf rust disease as well as of 78S84 and 46S119 two most virulent races of yellow rust disease. ? It has also better degree of resistance against leaf blight.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
9
Name of variety
Year of release
State(s) for which released
Pusa Basant (HD 2985)
2010
North eastern Plains Zone
Key characteristics ? Suitable for irrigated late sown ? Average seed yield is 35-40 q/ ha ? It has the lowest reduction in the 1000-grain weight
under very late sown conditions. ? The variety possesses the usable and most practical
type of disease resistance viz., the adult plant resistance (APR) because of Lr13. Pusa Bahar (HD 2987)
2010
Peninsular Zone
? Suitable for restricted irrigated and rainfed
conditions ? Average seed yield is: Rainfed: 20-22 q/ha; Restricted irrigation: 30-32 q/ha ? It has all the desirable HMW sub-units for best bread making ability as the Glu-1 score is perfect 10/10 indicating a very good bread quality. Pusa Navagiri (HW 5207)
2010
HI 1563
2011
HD 3043
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Southern Hill Zone
? Suitable for restricted irrigated, timely sown
conditions ? Average seed yield is 52.1 q/ ha ? It has high degree of resistance to stem, leaf and stripe rusts under both artificial and natural epiphytotic conditions against all the pathotypes occurring in Nilgiris. ? It has the ideal plant height (90 cm) with strong and resilient stem providing resistance to lodging.
2012
late sown conditions of north eastern Plains Zone
North Western Plains zone
10
? It has an average yield of 38 q/ha under late sown
conditions of north eastern plains zone. ? High resistance to stripe, stem and leaf rusts. ? It has seedling resistance to almost all the pathotypes of the three rusts; and adult plant resistance to virulent stripe rust. ? It has good levels of resistance to leaf blight, powdery mildew and foot rot. ? HI 1563 is a good quality wheat genotype with good bread, chapatti and biscuit quality with good levels of micronutrients like iron, zinc and copper, ? The variety HD 3043 (yield 42.8 q/ha with a genetic
potential of 66.0 q/ha) ? It has shown a high level of resistance against stripe rusts and leaf rust ? It has the best HMW sub-units combination for bread making with Glu-1 score, 8/10. ? It has the higher value of bread loaf volume (cc), bread quality score. The variety therefore, may find favor with bread making industries.
Name of variety
Year of release
State(s) for which released
Key characteristics
RICE Pusa RH-10 (Hybrid)
2001
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Western U.P. and Uttarakhand
? Suitable for for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 65.0 q/ha ? World's first superfine grain aromatic rice hybrid
possesses typical Basmati quality traits. ? Strongly scented, long slender grains with almost
twice kernel elongation on cooking. ? Matures in 110-115 days from seed to seed. ? Saving in irrigation, very high per day productivity and overall profitability. ? Tolerance to major insect pests and diseases. ? Fits well in rice-wheat cropping system in Northern India. Pusa Sugandh-2
2001
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Western U.P. and Uttarakhand
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 55.0 q/ha ? A semi-dwarf high yielding aromatic rice variety
possessing Basmati grain quality traits. ? It has extra-long slender grains with strong aroma; almost twice elongation on cooking, soft texture, good mouth feel and appealing taste. ? Matures in 120 days (seed to seed), hence fits well in multiple cropping system Pusa Sugandh-3
2001
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Western U.P. and Uttarkhand
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 60.0 q/ha ? A semi-dwarf high yielding rice variety, possessing
extra-long slender grains with strong aroma and almost twice elongation on cooking, pleasant aroma and taste. ? Matures in 125 days (seed to seed) and fits well in multiple cropping systems viz. rice-vegetables (spinach/ radish/ potato) - wheat-mungbean. Pusa Basmati-4 (Pusa 1121)
2005
Whole Basmati growing region
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 40.0 q/ha ? .It matures in 140-145 days (seed to seed) which is a
fortnight earlier than Taraori Basmati. ? Grain is longer (8 mm) and better in cooking compared to Taraori Basmati. ? It requires low input and produces high yield with better quality rice for export. Pusa Sugandh-5 (Pusa 2511)
2005
Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Western U.P. and Jammu & Kashmir.
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 65-70 q/ha ? It has excellent aroma, extra long grains. ? It possesses tolerance to shattering. ? It is resistant to gall midge, brown spot and
moderately resistant to leaf folder and blast. ? It matures in 125-130 days from seed to seed.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
11
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
RICE Jaldi Dhan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13
2006
West Bengal
? Suitable for drought prone areas ? Average seed yield is 60 q/ha. ? Bold seeded early maturing variety which
matures in 90-95 days. PNR-546
2006
West Bengal
? Suitable for rainfed areas ? 66 q/ha ? It is an aromatic fine grain rice variety which
matures in about 110 days Improved Pusa Basmati â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 (Pusa 1460)
2007
Basamati growing areas of the country
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 50-55 q/ ha ? It is developed by incorporating resistance to
bacterial leaf blight by pyramiding genes xa13 and Xa21 in Pusa Basmati 1, using marker assisted back cross breeding method while retaining the agronomic features of Pusa Basmati 1. ? It matures in 135 days. ? Cooking quality of its grains is superior and it has less than 10% chalky grains. Pusa Basmati 6 (Pusa 1401)
2008
Basamati growing areas of the country
? Suitable for irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 55-60 q/ha ? It semi- dwarf plant
stature and is tolerant to lodging. ? Pusa 1401 has significant improvement over Pusa Basmati 1121, its grain on cooking have uniform shape compared to tapering end in Pusa 1121. ? It has strong aroma and chalky grains less than 4%.
PEARLMILLET Composite Pusa 383
Pusa composite 443
2001
2008
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi
Rajashan, Gujarat and Haryana
? Suitable for rainfed and irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 22-24 q/ha. ? Farmers can use their own produce as seed with a
minimum training. ? It is a dual purpose variety as in addition to grains its stalk is good for fodder.
? Highly drought tolerant variety ? Average seed yield is 18 q/ha ? This composite variety is early in maturity ? It is suitable for cultivation under highly drought
prone areas where the rain fall is less than 400 mm
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
12
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
RICE Pusa Composite 612
2010
Zone B (Maharastra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, AP)
? Suitable for rainfed and irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 25.0 q/ ha ? It is a dual purpose variety which can be used both
for fodder and grain. ? It matures in 80-85 days. Resistant to downy mildew
both under field as well as artificial conditions. ? It fits in normal and late sown conditions.
MAIZE AH-58 (PEHM-3)
2001 2006
A.P., Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for normal sowing ? Average seed yield is 50 q/ha ? An early maturing (78-82 days) hybrid ? It has attractive, yellow, flint bold seeds ? It is tolerant to high temperature and lodging.
AH 421 (PEHM 5)
2004
Northern Plains as well as Peninsular Region of the country
? Suitable for normal irrigated and water logging
conditions ? Average seed yield is 50.0 q/ha ? This hybrid also exhibited better adaptability and
flexibility giving reasonable good yield under water logged conditions and showing response to high nitrogen levels.
Pusa Composite-3
2005
National Capital Region, Delhi.
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed conditions ? Average seed yield is 44-0 q/ha ? It has medium maturity. ? Its stalk possesses good forage quality (stay green)
and long ears, with yellow flint grains. ? It is tolerant to major foliar diseases and stalk borer
and resistant to lodging Pusa Composite 4
2005
National Capital Region, Delhi.
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed conditions ? Average seed yield is 44.0 q/ ha ? Medium in maturity. ? It has good forage quality (stay green) with long ears
and yellow flint grains. ? Tolerant to major foliar diseases and stalk borer and
resistant to lodging. ? It performs well under low input and stress
conditions.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
13
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
CHICKPEA Pusa Chamatkar
Pusa 1088 (Kabuli)
2000
2005
Northern and Central Zone (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, U.P., M.P., Chattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujrat) Northern India (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab. U.P. and Rajasthan)
? Suitable for rainfed and irrigated conditions\ ? Average seed yield is 25-30 q/ha ? Resistant to soil born diseases
? Suitable for rainfed and irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 25-35 q/ha ? It is resistant to Fusarium wilt, root rot and
stunt virus. ? It has high degree of tolerance against drought.
Pusa 1103 (Desi)
2005
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for late sown condition ? Average seed yield is 24.0 q/ha ? First variety developed by using a wild species
(C. reticulatum). ? It possesses resistance against wilt, root rot and
bruchids. ? Suitable for rice based cropping system in
Northern India. Pusa 1105 (Kabuli)
2005
National Capital Region of Delhi and other Northern States
? Suitable for rainfed and irrigated conditions under
normal and late sowing ? Average seed yield is 25.0 q/ha ? Bold seeded chickpea variety (30g/100 seeds), ? Moderately resistant against soil born diseases ? Highly tolerant against drought.
Pusa 1108 (Kabuli)
2006
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yields is 30-35 q/ha ? Resistance against soil born diseases. ? Bold, uniform, creamy coloured, attractive seeds
with excellent cooking quality which fetch high market prices. Pusa 547 (Desi)
2006
North Western Plain Zone (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab. U.P. and Rajasthan)
? Suitable for late sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield 18.0 q/ha ? A variety developed through mutagenesis. ? It is of medium maturity (135 Days), ? Tolerant to wilt, root rot, stunt diseases and
pod borer
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
14
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
CHICKPEA BGD 128 (Kabuli)
2007
Central India (MP, Maharastra, Gujrat, Bundelkhand parts of UP and adjoining parts of Rajasthan)
? Suitable for irrigated and late sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 20.0 q/ha ? Resistance against soil borne diseases and wide
adaptation. ? Due to its semi-erect growth habit, ? It is suitable for mechanical harvesting.
Pusa-2024 (Kabuli)
2008
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed situations ? Average seed yield is 30.0 q/ha ? Moderately resistant against soil borne diseases
and pod borer. Pusa 5023 (Pusa Shaktiman)
2012
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Moderately resistant to resistant against Fusarium
wilt, dry root rot ? Excellent cooking quality, attractive and extra-bold
seed size kabuli tpe ? Average yield in Delhi state is 25.30 q/ha. ? Early
Pusa 5028 (Pusa Bheema)
? Moderately resistant to resistant against Fusarium
wilt and dry root rot ? Average yield in Delhi state is 26.90 q/ha ? Excellent cooking quality, attractive and
extra-bold seed size.
FIELD PEA Pusa Prabhat (DDR 23)
2001
North Eastern Plain Zone
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed situations ? Average seed yield is 15.5 q/ha ? It is dwarf, extra early maturing (average 102 days) ? It is a powdery mildew resistant variety.
Pusa Panna (DDR 27)
DDR 55 (Pusa Mukta)
2001
2005
Norhtern Western Zone (Western U.P., Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal) National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed situations ? Average seed yield is 17.7 q/ha ? It is dwarf, extra-early (90 days) and powdery
mildew resistant variety.
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed situations ? Average seed yield is 25.0 q/ha ? A bold seeded variety ? It is resistant to powdery mildew.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
15
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
LENTIL Pusa Lentil 5 (L 4594)
2006
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed situations ? Average seed yield is 17.0 q/ha ? It has medium growth habit, small seeded
orange cotyledon ? Resistance to rust.
PIGEONPEA Pusa 991
2005
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for rainfed and salinity conditions ? Average seed yield is 18.45 q/ha ? Highly suitable for rainfed and salinity prone areas. ? Seed is medium bold (7.9 g/100 seeds), brown,
shining and round. Pusa 992
2005
Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Western U.P. and Delhi
? Suitable for early sowing ? Average seed yield is 16.5 q/ha ? Medium bold seed (8.5 g/100 seeds) is brown,
shining and round. ? It is the best available released variety for arhar -
wheat rotation. Pusa 2001
2006
National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for normal sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 20.0 q/ ha ? A high yielding variety which fits well in arhar â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
wheat rotation..
Pusa 2002
2008
National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 17.7 q/ ha ? This variety can fit well in the double cropping
system and a timely sown crop can be harvested by second week of November vacating the field for Rabi crops.
COWPEA Pusa 578
2005
National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown conditions ? Average seed yield is 12.0 q/ha ? It is resistant to yellow mosaic virus. ? It matures in about 90 days.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
16
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
MUNGBEAN Pusa 9531
Pusa Vishal
2001
2001
Punjab, Haryana, Western U.P., Rajasthan, J & K and Plains of H.P
North Western Plain Zone
? Suitable for Kharif season ? Average seed yield is 12.0 q/ha ? It matures in 60-65 days ? It is tolerant to yellow mosaic virus and insect pests.
? Suitable for spring/ summer cultivation ? Average seed yield is 12.0 q/ha ? Resistant to mungbean yellow mosaic virus. ? Synchronous in maturity (65-70 days in spring
and 60-65 days in summer).
Pusa Ratna
2005
National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for Kharif season ? Average seed yield is 12.0 q/ha ? Pods are synchronous in maturity and mature
in 65-70 days. ? Tolerant to mungbean yellow mosaic virus.
Pusa 0672
2010
North Hill Zone
? Suitable for Kharif season ? Average seed yield is 9.5-10.0 q/ ha ? It is tolerant to major diseases like MYMV and CLS. ? Its seeds are shining green and attractive and are of
medium size (3.8-5.3 g/100 seed). ? Its maturity range is from 52-103 days.
SOYBEAN Pusa 9712
2005
National Capital Region, Delhi
? Suitable for normal sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 20.5 q/ha ? It is resistant to yellow mosaic virus, soybean
mosaic virus, bacterial pustule, charcoal rot, Myrothecium leaf spot and stem fly. ? Early in maturity (116 days).
Pusa 9814
2006
North Plain Zone
? Suitable for normal sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 22.5 q/ ha ? Resistant against yellow mosaic, soybean mosaic
virus, pod blight, charcoal rot and moderately resistant to stem fly.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
17
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
INDIAN MUSTARD Pusa Agrani (SEJ-2)
1998 2003
Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Orrisa and Assam
? Suitable for early (September) and late (November)
sowing under irrigated situations ? Average seed yield is 17.5 q/ha ? First early maturing (110 days) variety of Indian
mustard and is a substitute of toria. ? In North Eastern and Eastern states, it fits well after
rice crop. ? Seed is of medium size (4.5 g/1000 seeds) with 39 40 % oil content. Pusa Karishma (LES-39)
2005
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 22 q/ha ? It is first single zero (< 2 % erucic acid) strain of
Indian mustard having attractive yellow seed coat colour. ? It has tolerance to white rust. Pusa Mahak (JD-6)
Pusa Mustard 21 (LES 1 27)
Pusa Vijay (NPJ-93)
2005
2007
2008
Orissa, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal and Asam, National Capital Region of Delhi
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, UP, Uttrakhand, Plains of J & K, MP, Chhatishgarh
? Suitable for early (September) and late (November)
sowing under irrigated situations ? Average seed yield is 17.5 q/ha ? It a substitute of toria. ? In North Eastern and Eastern states, it fits well after
rice crop. ? It gives good results where onion, other vegetable and sugarcane are planted in the month of January. ? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield in Zone II is 21.1 q/ha and in
Zone III is 18.6 q/ha ? A low erucic acid (single zero) variety of Indian
mustard. ? It has a very wider adaptability. ? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Average seed yield is 25.0 q/ha ? It is tolerant to abiotic stresses viz. high
temperature at seedling stage, salinity up to 12dS/m and lodging. ? It is a bold seeded variety (6.00 g/ 1000 seeds) with 38.51 % oil content. ? It is of medium maturity (145 days). Pusa Mustard 22 (LET -17)
2008
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Average seed yield is 20.7 q/ha ? It is single zero (<2% erucic acid) variety of Indian
mustard. ? It is at par in maturity (142 days) to the
conventional mustard varieties.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
18
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
INDIAN MUSTARD Pusa Mustard-24 (LET-18)
Pusa Tarak (EJ-13)
2008
2009
Zone II (Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Plains of J&K and Western parts of U.P.)
? Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions ? Average seed yield is 20.25 q/ha ? It is a low in erucic acid (<2.0%) variety of Indian
mustard. ? This variety is at par in maturity (140 days) with the conventional mustard varieties. ? It is a small seeded variety (4.0 g/ 1000 seeds) with 36.55% oil content.
? Suitable for early (September) sowing
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Average seed yield is 19.24 q/ha ? This variety is useful in the multiple cropping system
particularly during the period of September â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December. ? It gives good results where onion, other vegetable and sugarcane are planted in the month of January. ? Mean oil content in this variety is 40%.
NPJ-112 (Pusa Mustard 25)
2010
Zone-II (Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Plains of J&K and HP, Western UP)
Pusa Mustard 26 (NPJ-113)
2010
Zone-II comprising the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Plains of J&K, HP and Western UP
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
19
? Suitable for early sown (First week of September)
conditions ? Average seed yield is 14.7 q/ ha ? Suitable for multiple cropping system between September (after harvest of Kharif crops) to Mid December (upto sowing of Rabi crops particularly wheat and vegetables) to have an additional crop and is a very potential substitute of B. rapa cv. Toria (in toria's traditional belt). ? Average maturity in of this variety is 107 days.
? Suitable for late sown (November sowing)
conditions ? Average seed yield of this variety is 16.04 q/ha with 37.6% oil content in seeds. ? This variety matures in 126 days and possesses terminal heat tolerance. ? It is suitable for multiple cropping systems particularly in rice and cotton belts where the fields are generally vacated in November; farmers prefer to raise late sown mustard which performs well in one to two irrigations. ? It also suits well in areas where long duration guar varieties are grown and fields are vacated in November.
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
INDIAN MUSTARD Pusa Mustard 27 (EJ-17)
2010
Zone-III (U.P., M.P., Uttrakhand, Kota region of Rajasthan)
? Suitable for early sown (September sowing)
conditions. ? Average seed yield of this variety is 15.35 q/ha with
41.7% oil content in seeds. ? This variety matures in 118 days and is moderately tolerant to high temperatures at seedling as well as at maturity stage. ? It is suitable for multiple cropping system can be successfully grown after harvest of Kharif crops (September) upto sowing of wheat, vegetables and Sugarcane (December-January) when fields generally remain vacant. ? This variety fits well for sowing during this period to have an additional crop and can be a good substitute of B. rapa cv. Toria (in toria growing traditional belt) of this zone. Pusa Mustard 28 (NPJ-124)
2012
Suitable for early sown (September), irrigated conditions in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Plains of J&K, Delhi and Western UP.
? It matures is 107 days with average seed yield of
19.93 q/ha. ? It's per day productivity is as very high (18.63
kg/day/ha) in comparison to all released varieties. ? Its seeds contain 41.5% oil. ? It possesses seedling and grain filling stage high temperature tolerance. ? It fits well in multiple cropping system. An additional (catch) crop can be taken between kharif and rabi seasons in NWPZ when fields generally remain vacant between September (after harvest of Kharif crops) to Mid December (sowing of Rabi crops particularly wheat, sugarcane and vegetables). ? It is a good substitute of toria.
KARAN RAI IGC-01 (Pusa Swarnim)
2003
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir and parts of UP
? Suitable for irrigated and rainfed conditions ? Average seed yield is: Irrigated 16-17 q/ha, rainfed â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
14-15 q/ha ? It has a very high degree of drought tolerance ? It is totally free from white rust and has very low
incidence of Alternaria blight. ? Seed is of yellow colour with 40-43% oil content.
Pusa Aditya (NPC- 9)
2006
? Suitable for timely sown rainfed situations
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Average seed yield is 14.0 q/ha ? It performs well under rainfed situation on marginal
and poor lands. ? It is immune to downy mildew, resistant to white
rust and tolerant to Alternaria blight, Sclerotinea stem rot and powdery mildew. ? It is tolerant to aphid under field conditions.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
20
Name of variety
Year of release
Key characteristics
State(s) for which released
FORAGE SORGHUM Hybrid PCH-106
2005
Through out the country
? Suitable for Summer and Kharif; Irrigated conditions ? 680-700 q/ha (green fodder) 170-175 q/ha (dry
fodder) ? First public sector forage sorghum hybrid released for general cultivation. ? It has dark green leaves which remain green for longer time and stem is juicy and with low toxic constituents ? Tolerant to major insect-pests and foliar diseases. ? First cutting is ready in 50-55 days. Hybrid PCH-109
2005
Through out the country
? Suitable for Normal sowing; irrigated conditions ? 700-750 q/ha (green fodder) 180-200 q/ha (dry
fodder) ? It is a multi-cut hybrid ? It becomes ready for cuttings in 55-60 days and has low HCN content (54.3 ppm) ? It is photo and thermo insensitive and possesses field tolerance to major insect-pests and foliar diseases Pusa Chari 615
2006
National Capital Region of Delhi
? Suitable for normal sowing; irrigated conditions ? 700 q/ha (green fodder); 200 q/ ha (dry fodder) and
Average seed yield is 12-15 q/ ha ? A high yielding multi-cut forage sorghum variety with 10-12 dark green leaves/ plant, medium thick cane and stay green character.
COTTON PSS-2 (Arvinda)
2007
West Bengal
? Suitable for spring/summer season ? Average yield 8.5 q/ ha seed cotton ? It is an extra early maturing (120 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 130 days) variety
of Hirsutum cotton with determinate habit. ? Suitable for hot and humid conditions in Rabi &
Kharif.
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
21
Table 3: Varieties released for specific production conditions. Situation
Crop
Name of variety(ies)
Rainfed
Wheat
"Pusa Bahar (HD-2987), Pusa Wheat-107 (HD-2888), Harshita (HI-1531), Pusa Aditya (HD-2781)"
Rice
"Jaldi Dhan-13, PNR-546"
Chickpea
"Pusa Chamatkar (BG-1053), Pusa 1088, Pusa 1105, Pusa 2024"
Pigeonpea
Pusa 991
Pearlmillet
"Pusa Composite-383, Pusa Composite-443, Pusa Composite-612,"
Maize
"Pusa Composite-3, Pusa Composite-4"
Karan rai
"Pusa Swarnim (IGC-01), Pusa Aditya (NPC-9)"
Pigeonpea
Pusa 991
Indian mustard
Pusa Vijay (NPJ-93)
Wheat
"Kaushambi (HW 2045), Pusa Gold (WR-544), Pusa Basant (HD-2985), Pusa Wheat-111 (HD-2932), Harshita (HI-1531)"
Chickpea
Pusa 547
Mungbean
Pusa 9531
Indian mustard
"Pusa Agrani (SEJ-2), Pusa Mahak (JD-6), Pusa Vijay (NPJ-93), Pusa Tarak (EJ-13), Pusa Mustard-25 (NPJ-112), Pusa Mustard-26 (NPJ-113), Pusa Mustard-27 (EJ-17)"
Cold tolerance
Mungbean
Pusa 0672
Water logging
Maize
AH-421 (PEHM-5)
Hot and humid conditions
Cotton
PSS-2 (Arvinda)
Moisture stress
Salinity
High temperature tolerance
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Table 4: Popular High Yielding Superior Quality Vegetable Varieties Crop
Variety
Special Trait(s)
Yield (q/ha)
Solanaceous Vegetables Brinjal
Tomato
Chilli
Pusa Shymla
425
Pusa Uttam
400
Pusa Upkar
400
Pusa Ankur
350
Pusa Rohini
450
Pusa 120
400
Resistance to Nematode
Pusa Sadabahar
100
Resistance to virus
Pusa Jwala
120
Pusa Uttam
Cole Crops Cauliflower (Early)
Pusa Meghna
150
Pusa Deepali
160
Cauliflower (Mid Early)
Pusa Sharad
250
Cauliflower (Mid Late)
Pusa Paushja
325
Pusa Shukti
325
PSB K-1
350
PSB KT-25
350
Golden Acre
275
Pusa Drum Head
400
Resistance to Black leg
Pusa Mukta
275
Resistance to Black rot
Cauliflower (Late)
Cabbage
Resistance to Downy mildew
Resistance to Black rot
Pusa Naveen
Cucurbitaceous Vegetables Pumpkin
Bottle gourd
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Pusa Vishwas
400
Pusa Vikas
300
Pusa Samridhi
325
Pusa Naveen
325
Pusa Santushti
300
Cold tolerant
23
Pusa Hybrid-5
Bitter gourd
Pusa Vishesh
200
Pusa Domausmi
325
Cucumber
Pusa Uday
160
Sponge gourd
Pusa Supriya
120
Pusa Sneha
140
Ridge gourd
Pusa Nutan
185
Ash gourd
Pusa Ujwal
350
Muskmelon
Pusa Madhuras
200
Waterkmelon
Sugar Baby
300
Pusa Kartik Sankar
Leguminous Vegetables Pea
Arkel
80
Pusa Pragati
90
Cowpea
Pusa Sukomal
80
Resistance to virus
Lablab bean
Pusa Sem-2
80
Resistance to virus
Pusa Sem-3
90
Resistance to virus
Pusa Rudhira (Red)
325
High lycopene
Pusa Asita (Black)
275
High
Pusa Vrishti (Red)
250
Heat tolerant
Pusa Rudhira
Root Crops Carrot anthocyanin
Onion Pusa Madhvi
250 Pusa Red
250
Leafy Vegetables Palak
Veg. Mustard
Pusa Bharati
250
All Green
250
Pusa Sag-1
350
Other Vegetables Okra
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Pusa A-4
140
Resistance to YVMV
24
Pusa Hybrid-2
Table 5: Popular vegetable F1 hybrids for higher yield and special traits Crop
Variety
Av. Yield (q/ha)
Brinjal
Pusa Hybrid-5
450
Pusa Hybrid-6
450
Pusa Hybrid-9
500
Pusa Hybrid-1
450
Heat tolerant
Pusa Hybrid-2
550
Resistance to Nematode
Pusa Hybrid-4
550
Resistance to Nematode
Pusa Hybrid-8
650
Pusa Hybrid-1
200
Pusa Hybrid-2
250
Bottle gourd
Pusa Hybrid-3
450
Cauliflower
Pusa Hybrid-2
230
Pusa Kartik Sankar
250
Cucumber
Pusa Sanyog
200
Pumpkin
Pusa Hybrid-1
450
Carrot
Pusa Nayanjyoti
400
Cabbage
Pusa Cabbage Hybrid-1 (KGMR1)
300
Tomato
Bittergourd
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Special trait(s)
High ?-carotene
25
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 M Srivastava, RC Agrawal and PL Gautam Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFRA), New Delhi
I
exclude third parties for certain duration of time from exploiting the protected subject matter without authorization of the right holder. Generally speaking, these laws aim at safeguarding creators and other producers of intellectual goods and services by granting them certain time-limited rights to control the use made of those productions.
ntellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. In the current era of knowledge based economy, intellectual property rights (IPR) are major tools for progress and development of any nation. They are set of exclusive rights given for ingenuity of man and are legal rights that
1.1 Important Indian legislations related to IPR are as under: Act / Legislation The Patents Act, 1970 Indian Copyright Act, 1957 Trade Marks Act, 1999 The Designs Act, 2000 Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 The semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design Act, 2000 Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 Biological diversity Act, 2002
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Kind of Intellectual Property Process and product Literary work Trade marks Designs Goods originating in the territory of the country Semiconductor Integrated Circuits layout designs Plant varieties Biodiversity and traditional knowledge
27
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
1.2 Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
The Major Objectives of the Act Include:
Like other fields of technology, research and development in agriculture also involves intellectual property. Article 27(3)(b) of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) allowed member countries to exclude plants and animals other than micro-organisms from patentability. However, they were required to provide protection for plant variety either by patents or a 'sui generis' system or any combination thereof. Accordingly, developing countries had three options with reference to protecting plant varieties. The first option was to treat new plant varieties as inventions and provide patent protection under the patent law following the norms in the TRIPS. The second option was to develop an effective sui generis legislation for the protection of plant varieties for which no guidelines were laid down in TRIPS. The third one was to have a combination of both patent and sui generis system for which no model law was available.
providing an effective system for protection of plant varieties and rights of farmers and plant breeders.
2
recognizing and protecting the rights of farmers in respect of their contribution made at any time in conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources for the development of new plant varieties.
3
contributing to accelerating the agricultural development in the country, protecting plant breeders' rights, stimulating investment for research and development in public / private sector for development of plant variety; and
4
facilitating the growth of seed industry which will ensure the availability of high quality seeds and planting material to the farmers.
The PPV&FR Rules were notified on 12 September, 2003. For implementing the provisions of the Act, the Government established the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authorityâ&#x20AC;? on 11 November 2005. To facilitate the registration of plant varieties, Authority has opened two branch offices of the Plant Varieties Registry, one at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi and other at Assam Agricultural University, Guwahati.
In a mega-biodiversity country like India, diversity among plants play a major role in evolution of agriculture, as a large percent of its population depend upon it for their sustenance and livelihood. Tribal and farming communities have contributed over generations in improvement of economic plants by domestication, selection and conservation. Accordingly, a different form of protection was felt necessary in addition to or instead of the existing international models as about 67 per cent of the total farming population in the country constitute small and marginal farmers. A balanced approach towards protecting the interests of the plant breeders and the traditional farming communities was felt needed. Keeping in view the national requirement and international commitment under Article 27(3) (b) of TRIPS Agreement, India adopted a sui genesis system for plant variety protection and Government of India enacted the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001. The Act is the first of its kind in granting intellectual property rights not only to plant breeders but also to the farmers by protecting new, extant and farmers' varieties. It emphasizes farmers' Rights as positive rights capturing the spirit of FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources and UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
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2. Registration of Plant Variety 2.1 Definitions A variety is eligible for registration under the Act if it essentially fulfills the criteria of Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS). It means that the candidate variety must be distinguishable by at least one essential characteristics from a variety which is a matter of common knowledge in any country at the time of filing application, sufficiently uniform in expression of its essential characteristics which should remain unchanged even after repeated propagation. The variety should also have a single and distinct denomination.
2.2 DUS Test Centres The Authority has established 95 DUS test centres for different crop species. These centres are responsible for conducting DUS test of varieties applied for registration and maintain, multiply and characterize reference/ example varieties as per DUS descriptors.
28
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
The Authority sanctions projects to reputed research / academic institutions for the development of DUS test guidelines of the crops which are to be brought under the umbrella of registration. The DUS test guidelines submitted by these institutions are finalized after vetting by a committee of crop experts. The final guidelines are ultimately notified by the Authority.
details as specified under section 18 of the PPV&FR Act, 2001. Once the Registrar is satisfied that all the requirements are complete, she/he shall forward the application to the PPV&FR Authority, which in turn gets it examined to determine whether the EDV is a variety derived from the initial variety by conducting such tests and following such procedures as may be prescribed. Based on test report showing compliance to laid down criteria, necessary directions are issued to the Registrar for the registration. The rights of breeder of a variety or an EDV are same, provided that the authorization by the breeder of the initial variety to the breeder of EDV, may be subject to such terms and conditions as both the parties may mutually agree upon.
2.3 Varieties that can be registered under the Act As per the PPV&FR Act, 2001, the following varieties can be registered: 1
New plant varieties
2
Essentially derived varieties (EDV)
3
Extant varieties notified under the Seeds Act, 1966
4
Extant varieties about which there is a common knowledge (VCK)
5
Farmer's varieties
2.4.3 Extant Variety (I) Notified under Seeds Act, 1966 As extant varieties notified under the Seeds Act have undergone exhaustive pre-release testing, such varieties have been exempted from DUS testing under the Act. A seven member Extant Variety Recommendation Committee (EVRC) has been constituted by the Authority to examine the suitability for registration of extant varieties which have been notified under the Seeds Act, 1966. On the basis of the recommendations of the EVRC, extant varieties are registered.
2.4 Process of Registration The major steps in registration of plant varieties under the Act include filing of application, examination of applications and conduct of suitable DUS test, evaluation of DUS test results, publication of passport data in the Plant Variety Journal of India (PVJI) for inviting objections, if any, within a specified time frame and issuance of registration certificate to the applicant. The steps for registration of a plant variety are illustrated in Figure-1.
(ii) Variety of common knowledge (VCK) The criteria for distinctiveness, uniformity and stability for registration of a variety about which there is a common knowledge shall be determined by conducting a field test for one season at two locations following the descriptors and plot size as specified in the Journal (PVJ) from time to time. Any person who applies for registration under clause (b) of Section 14 of the Act shall submit half the quantity of seeds as specified for new variety, divided into five equal numbers of packets for the purpose of field test and also for storing in the National Gene Bank and the seed supply procedures shall be such as may be specified in the journal.
2.4.1 New Variety After the candidate variety which has been applied for registration is accepted for DUS testing and the applicant has deposited the prescribed DUS test fee and specified quantity of seed material with the Authority, it is forwarded to the respective DUS test centre for conducting DUS test trials. In these trials, DUS characteristics of the candidate variety are compared with the characteristics of reference varieties. The varieties are grown over two similar growing seasons in two test locations. DUS test is said to be confirmed if distinctness is established for at least one essential character.
(iii) Farmers' Variety Any person who applies for registration of farmers' variety is required to submit half the quantity of seeds as specified for new variety, divided into five equal numbers of packets for the purpose of field test and also for conservation in the National Gene Bank. Wherever, the distinctiveness of the variety is required to be verified,
2.4.2 Essentially Derived Variety (EDV) The application for registration of an EDV shall be accompanied by relevant documents along with other
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
Figure-1 Registration of Plant Varieties Application (filing) with all details as required in the application along with the registration fees Section 14 & 23
Initial Browsing / Preliminary examination Section 20
If application in proper shape, Acknowledgement receipt issued
File sorting done, Unique Number allotted to each application
Application issued for examination
Simultaneous data entry in digital application Denomination search for novelty and Distinctively
Examination report submitted to Registrar, Report discussed and verified
Communication made for submission of lacking information Reply within 30 days
Application accepted for further processing Section 20
Applicants asked to submit DUS fee and planting material
Passport data advertised in the PVJ of India for opposition (With in three months) Section 21
Notice sent to the applicant regarding clarification of opposition made No Opposition Section 20
DUS test carried out For Trees & Vines: On-farm DUS Test for two similar crop seasons For other than trees & vines: Two growing seasons at two independent locations
Applicant fails to submit clarification within specified time frame / Registrar not satisfied with reply, Application is deemed to be rejected
Applicant satisfies the Registrar, Application accepted and carried forward for Registration
DUS report in accordance to data provided by applicant
Registration done Section 24 (1) / 23(4)
Certificate granted Section 24(2)/ 23(8)
Protection 18 yr (9 +) (for Trees & vines) 15 yr (6 +) (for other than trees & vines)
The process followed for registration of different types of varieties is as follows: Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
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Certificate of Entitlement Section 28 (4)
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
field test will be conducted for distinctiveness, uniformity and stability at the test centres. The farmers' variety along with reference varieties and other similar variety shall be evaluated in the paired row test. The length of the row and plant population shall be such as may be specified in the Journal. A replicated trail will be conducted for one season at two locations with limited purpose of confirming the distinctiveness, following the descriptors such as may be specified in the Journal. The uniformity levels for Farmers' variety for the respective species shall not exceed double the number of off-types such as may be specified in the Journal. If the variety meets the uniformity criteria, it shall be deemed to have met the stability criteria.
farm test sitesâ&#x20AC;? for two similar crop seasons as may be specified.
2.5 Special Tests Special Tests are to be conducted only when DUS test fails to establish the requirement of distinctiveness. The DUS testing shall be field and multi-location based for at least two crop seasons and will be laboratory based. The Authority shall charge separate fees for conducting DUS test and special test on each variety. The tests are to be identified on certain set principles and will be notified crop species wise in due course and will be for characters for which breeding work is going on and also these should have special significance in the trade of a particular variety. Broadly, these tests can be classified into five main groups: physical tests, biochemical tests, molecular tests, response tests and organo-leptic tests.
2.4.4 Trees and Vines The DUS testing shall be field and multi-location based for at least two similar crop seasons and special tests will be laboratory based. Provided that in the case of trees and vines there shall be an option on the manner of the DUS testing that a panel of three experts shall visit the â&#x20AC;&#x153;on-
2.6 Progress of the Plant Varity Registration At present, the PPV&FR Authority has notified 57 crop species (Table 1) and have opened the registration for these crops.
Table 1: Notified Crop Species for Registration of Varieties Group
No.
Crop Species
Cereals
8
Bread wheat, Rice, Pearl millet, Sorghum, Maize, Durum wheat, Dicoccum wheat, Other Triticum species
Legumes
7
Chickpea, Mungbean, Urdbean, Field pea, Rajmash, Lentil, Pigeon pea
Fibre Crops
6
Diploid cotton (two species), Tetraploid cotton (two species) and Jute (two species)
Oilseeds
11
Indian mustard, Karan rai, Rapeseed, Gobhi sarson, Groundnut, Soybean, Sunflower, Safflower, Castor, Sesame and Linseed
Sugar Crops
1
Sugarcane
Vegetables
10
Tomato, Brinjal, Okra, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Potato, Onion, Garlic, Ginger and Turmeric
Flowers
5
Rose ,Chrysanthemum, Vanda,Dendrobium and Cymbidium
Spices
2
Black pepper and Small cardamom
Fruits
1
Mango
Medicinal & Aromatic plants
5
Isabgol, Menthol mint, Damask Rose, Periwinkle, Brahmi
Plantation crop
1
Coconut
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
The office of the registry initiated the registration process and started receiving applications for registration and protection of eligible varieties of notified genera and
There has been steady increase in the applications for registration of farmers' variety depicting the their awareness for conserving their landraces/farmers'
Table2: Details of applications received (as on Sept. 2012) Public
Private
Farmers
Total
Extant
New
Farmers
EDV
Total
1065
1773
1146
3984
1737
1105
1141
1
3984
species of the crops from 21 May 2007. So far 3984 applications (Table 2) have been received for registration under different crops (May 2007 to September 2012).
varieties. During the last five years, 476 registration certificates (Table 3) of varieties from different crop species have also been issued.
Table 3 Certificates issued (as on Sept. 2012) Public
Private
Farmers
Total
Extant
New
Farmers
EDV
Total
402
68
6
476
434
36
6
-
476
of genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives, particularly in areas identified as agrobiodiversity hot spots. During 2009-10, two farming Communities from Odisha and Karnataka were conferred the awards and for the year 2010-11, four communities were conferred the “Plant Genome Savior Community Awards” and seven applicants were given certificates of recognition for their noteworthy work
2.7 Recognitions and Awards The Authority has instituted the “Plant Genome Savior Community Recognition and Rewards” under the National Gene Fund constituted by the Government of India to encourage and recognize the selfless services of the rural folk in ensuring the continuous availability of biodiversity for plant breeding purposes. Certificates have been awarded to the farmers / communities for their efforts in conservation and preservation of PGRs. The Government of India has recently notified “Plant Genome Savior Farmer Reward” which comprises citation, memento and cash of Rs. 1.0 lakh to be conferred annually to maximum of 10 farmers. In addition to this, the Government of India has also approved maximum of 20 recognition certificates to the individuals to be conferred annually. The “Plant Genome Savior Community Award” was instituted from 2009-10. Five awards are conferred annually, each consisting of Rs.10 lakhs in cash along with citation and memento. Five communities / farmers were recognized in 2007-08 and four in 2008-09. In 2009-10 this scope was broadened to support and reward farmers, communities of farmers, particularly the tribal and rural communities engaged in conservation, improvement and preservation
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
2.8 Plant Variety Journal of India (PVJI)
2.9 Fees
The PPV & FR Authority publishes the Plant Variety Journal of India. The PVJI contains information relating to important gazettee notifications / notices, DUS test guidelines of new crop species and passport data of the applications for inviting objections, if any, within a specified time frame.
2.9.1 Fee for Registration The fee for registration has been notified by the Central Government in official gazette of India. The fees notified for different category of varieties is given in (Table 4)
Table 4: Fees notified for different category of varieties Type of variety
Fees for Registration
Essentially Derived Variety
Individual Educational Commercial
Extant variety notified under section 5 of Seeds Act, 1966
Rs. 1000/-
Rs. 5000/Rs. 7000/Rs. 10000/-
Individual Educational Commercial
Rs. 5000/Rs. 7000/Rs.10000/-
Extant variety about which there is common knowledge
Individual Educational Commercial
Rs. 5000/Rs. 7000/Rs.10000/-
Farmers' Variety
No feea
2.9.2 DUS Test Fee The applicant has to submit the DUS test fee for conduct of the DUS test of the candidate variety. The DUS test fee has been decided by the Authority for different crops and notified in the PVJI. The DUS test fee notified for different crops is reproduced in Table 5 Table 5: DUS Test Fees Crop Species
DUS Test Fees
Wheat , rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, pigeon pea, chickpea, lentil, mungbean, urd bean, field pea, kidney bean
Rs. 20,000/-
Cotton, jute, sugarcane
Rs. 35,000/-
Oilseed crop species
Rs. 20,000/-
Black pepper, small cardamom, ginger, turmeric
Rs. 45,000/-
Tomato, brinjal, okra, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, garlic
Rs. 40,000/-
Potato
Rs. 48,000/-
Rose, chrysanthemum
Rs. 45,000/-
Mango
Rs. 30,000/-
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
2.9.3 Annual Fee For maintenance of registration the applicant has to pay annual fee which is specified under the Table 6
Table 6: Annual Fee Type of variety
Annual Fee
New Variety
Rs. 2000/- plus 0.2 per cent of the sales value of the seeds of the registered variety during the previous year plus one percent of royalty, if any, received during the previous year from the sale proceed of seeds of a registered variety
Extant variety notified under Section 5 of the Seeds Act, 1966 (54 of 1966)
Rs. 2000/- only.
Extant variety other than the category category specified above
Rs. 2000/- plus 0.1 per cent of the sales value of the seeds of the registered variety during the previous year plus 0.5 percent of royalty, if any, received during the previous year from the sale proceed of seeds of a registered variety
Annual fee shall be determined on the basis of declaration given by the registered breeder or agent or licensee regarding the sales value of the seeds of the variety registered under the Act during the previous year and royalty, if any, received during the previous year from the sale proceed of seeds of the registered variety and verified by the Authority.
2.10 Duration of Protection Duration of protection of varieties (Table 7) is mentioned as under: Table 7: Duration of protection Particulars
Duration of Protection (in years) Total
Initial
Extended
Trees & Vines
18 from date of registration
9
9
Other Crops
15 from date of registration
6
9
Extant Notified varieties
15 from date of notification of variety under the Seeds Act, 1966 by the Central Government
2.11 National Gene Bank and Field Gene Bank
2.12 Website and Databases
Authority has established the National Gene Bank for conservation of orthodox or true sample seed of the all registered varieties at low temperature for their entire period of protection. For tree/vines/ other vegetatively propagated crop species, three Field Gene Banks have being established at Dapoli, Maharashtra for Tropical and sub-tropical crops, Ranchi, Jharkhand for crops of Eastern ecosystem and Mashobra, Himachal Pradesh for temperate fruit crops.
The Authority maintains its website in English and Hindi (http://www.plantauthority.gov.in) where information related to the registration of plant varieties, activities of the Authority, gazette notifications and publication of the Authority can be accessed by the public. For the purpose of registration, two databases have been created and maintained in collaboration with NBPGR and DAC Notified and Released Varieties of India (NORV) and Indian Information System as per DUS Guidelines
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 (IINDUS). Provision for online filing of application for registration has also been initiated.
registration. ? Farmers' Right for reward and recognition: Important
role played by farmers individually or collectively as community for conservation of varietal wealth of crop plants, now being recognized.
2.13 Awareness and Capacity Building Programs Authority organizes/supports awareness generation and capacity building of stake holders. Literature for this purpose is also published by the authority.
? Farmers' Right for Benefit Sharing:
In case of important role of farmers' varieties for breeding new plant varieties.
3. Rights under the Act
? Farmers' Right to compensation for loss suffered
from registered variety.
3.1 Breeders' Rights
? In the event a farmer is unable to achieve the
Rights of breeder as conferred under the Act are:
claimed performance of new variety, PBR holder will be liable to pay compensation to the affected farmers.
? An exclusive right on the breeder or his successor,
his agent or licensee, to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the variety.
? Farmers' Right to receive compensation for
undisclosed use of traditional/Farmers' Varieties.
? A breeder may authorize any person to produce,
sell, market or otherwise deal with the variety registered under this Act.
? Farmers' Right for protection against infringement:
Considering poor legal literacy prevailing among Farmers and to discourage legal harassment through infringement proceeding a safeguard to farmers against innocent infringement is provided in the Act.
? Breeder shall also enjoy provisional protection of
his variety against any abusive act committed by any third party during the period between filling of application for registration and decision taken by Authority.
3.2 Farmers' ?
? Farmers' Right for receiving free services: Farmers
are exempted from any fee in any proceeding before Registrar or Authority or Tribunal or High Court.
Right
Farmer's variety application must be with respect to a variety and need not be accompanied with GURT affidavit, declaration that parental material has been acquired lawfully and passport data of parental lines
Section 2(k) of the Act defines â&#x20AC;&#x153;Farmerâ&#x20AC;? means any person who? cultivates crops by cultivating the land himself; or ? cultivates crops by directly supervising the
3.3 Researchers' Rights
cultivation of land through any other person; or
The Act also provides following rights to researchers under Section 30 of the Act:
? conserves and preserves, severally or jointly , with
any person any wild species or traditional varieties, or adds value to such wild species of traditional varieties through selection and identification of their useful properties.
? To use any variety registered for conducting
experiment or research ? To use of a variety as an initial source of variety for
? Farmers' rights as provided under the Act are
the purpose of creating of other varieties
? Farmers' Right on seed : To save their own seed from
? But authorization of the breeder of a registered
their crop and use it for sowing, re-sowing, exchanging, sharing with and selling to other farmers provided that farmer will not be entitled to sell branded seed of a protected variety.
variety is required where the repeated use of such variety as a parental line is necessary for commercial production of such other newly developed variety.
3.4 Community Rights
? Farmers' Right to register their varieties: Traditional
Rights of communities as mentioned in Section 41 of the Act are:
varieties evolved or conserved by farmers and new varieties developed by them are eligible for
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
Recognition of the role of traditional communities in conserving and preserving genetic resources of land races and wild relatives.
fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both. ? Penalty for selling varieties to which false
? Period of compulsory license will be maximum to
denomination is applied: Imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may be extended to two years, or with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both.
period of protection. ? Authority can settle terms and conditions, revoke or
modify compulsory license.
4. Appellate Tribunal
? Penalty for falsely representing a variety as
PPV&FR Act, 2001 provides for establishment of Plant Varieties Protection Appellate Tribunal (PVPAT). All orders or decisions of the Registrar or Authority relating to registration of variety and order or decision of the Registrar relating to registration as agent or licensee can be appealed in the Tribunal. Further all orders or decisions of Authority relating to benefit sharing, revocation of compulsory license and payment of compensation can also be appealed in the Tribunal. The Tribunal consists of a Judicial Member and a Technical Member. There is a transitory provision by which it is provided that till the PVPAT is established the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) will exercise the jurisdiction of PVPAT. The decisions of the PVPAT can be challenged in High Court. The Tribunal shall dispose of the appeal within one year. The form of appeal and period within which it must be preferred has been prescribed in Plant Varieties Protection Appellate Tribunal (Application and Appeals) Rules, 2010.
registered: Imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may be extended to three years, or with fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both. ? Penalty for subsequent offence: Imprisonment for a
term which shall not be less than one year but which may be extended to three years, or with fine which shall not be less than two lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty lakh rupees, or both.
6. Linkage with the Stakeholders The PPV&FR Authority has linkages with the seed industry and National Seed Association of India and organizes f re q u e n t m e e t i n g s / i n te ra c t i o n s w i t h t h e i r representatives at National and International level. The private seed industry has shown very encouraging response in seeking IPR rights for their varieties. The PPV&FR Authority issued 476 certificates of registration which includes public sector (402), farmers' (6) and 68 certificates have been issued to the private seed companies it needs to be mentioned that the public sector most of the certificates issued belong to the extant category.
5. Infringement and Penalties Right established under the Act is infringed by a person who; ? Not being a breeder, sells, exports, imports or
produces such variety without permission of breeder
7. Convention Countries
? Uses, sells exports or imports any variety giving such
Convention country means a country which has acceded to an international convention for the protection of plant varieties to which India has also acceded or a country which has law of protection on plant varieties on the basis of which India has entered into an agreement for granting plant breeders right to the citizen of both the countries.
variety the denomination identical or deceptively similar to denomination of variety registered under the Act. Penalty applicable under the Act for different offences is as follows:
Any person if applies for the registration of a variety in India within twelve months after the date on which the application was made in the convention country, such variety shall, if registered under this Act, be registered as
? Penalty for applying false denomination:
Imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may be extended to two years, or with fine which shall not be less than
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Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001
of the date on which the application was made in convention country and that date shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be the date of registration. To sum up, the PVP&FR Act, 2001, is an effective sui generis system providing a balance between plant breeders rights along with farmers' rights and researchers' rights. The PPV&FR Authority is implementing the various provisions of the Act. It supports farming families/ communities in conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources. The Act provides an opportunity for investment in research and development in the seed sector, encourage the breeders to develop new varieties and provide the farmers with greater avenues for income generation though on-farm / off-farm activities.
References: 1.
Bala Ravi, S. (2004) Manual on Farmers' Rights. M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. Chennai
2.
Brahmi, P., Saxena, S. and Dhillon, B.S. (2004) The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act of India. Current Science. 86 (3): 392-398.
3.
Chawla, H.S. (2007). Intellectual Property Rights. Journal of Eco-Friendly Agriculture. 2(2): 103-112.
4.
Gautam, P. L. (2011) Farmers Rights under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act of India. Think India Quarterly, Vol. 14 No. 3(pp165182).
5.
Gautam, PL and Agrawal, RC (2012). Farmers' Rights & Plant Varieties Protection in India, NAAS News. Vol.12 No. 2
6.
7.
Nagarajan, S., Trivedi, R.K., Raj Ganesh, DS and Singh, A.K. (2010) India registers plant varieties under PPV & FR Act, 2001. Current Science. 99(6): 723-725. Nagarajan, S., Yadav, S.P. and Singh, A.K. (2008) Farmers' variety in the context of Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers' Rights Act, 2001. Current Science. 94(6): 709-713.
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8.
PL Gautam, Ajay Kumar Singh, Manoj Srivastava and PK Singh (2012) Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights: A Review Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources 25(1) 9-30.
9.
Singh, P.K. (2011) Implementation of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001. The Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding. 71(6). pp. 190-198.
10.
Singh, P.K., Singh, A. K. and Kumar, Susheel (2011) Implementation of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001: Conserving Plant Agrobiodiversity of India. In: Tenth Agricultural Science Congress on Soil, Plant and Animal Health for Enhanced and Sustained Agricultural Productivity held at NBFGR, Lucknow;10-12 February, 2011, pp. 130-134.
11.
Gautam, PL and Agrawal, RC .(2012).Farmers' Rights and Plant Varieties Protection in India. In: NAAS News, April-June 2012. Vol.12. No.2. pp 4-7.
12.
Srivastava, M; Agrawal, RC and Gautam, PL .(2012). Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001. In: National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC) Golden Jubilee Souvenir 2012-2013. pp 19-23
13.
Srivastava, M; Agrawal, RC and Gautam, PL. (2012). Protecting Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights in India. In: Agriculture Today Year Book 2012 (5th Edition) at Agriculture Leadership Summit 2012 in New Delhi. pp 15-18
14.
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, http://www.nbaindia.org
15.
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, http://www.plantauthority.gov.in
16.
TRIPS Agreement, Article 27.3 (b), http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/27TRIPS.pdf
17.
WIPO Intellectual Property Handbook. (2004). WIPO PUBLICATION, No. 489 (E).
18.
www.upov.int
Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property: A Case Study of Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore
Amrik Singh Sidhu, Sudha Mysore, A. Krishnamoorthy, S. Ganeshan, M. Kavitha and S. Vinay Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore.
V
institute i.e., from lab to market. This process begins with the identification and protection of the knowledge that has been generated as Intellectual Property by the Varietal Technology Identification Committee (VTIC) and culminates with licensing of these assets to interested parties by the Institute's Technology Management Unit (ITMU) in order to reach the market.
alorisation is the economic exploitation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) through selling, licensing and other methods, and its transformation into goods and services. It is the process of allocating a monetary value to all the assets of the institute taking into consideration the present value and the future projected value of a given technology/asset. Assets may be tangible or intangible. At IIHR, some of the intangible assets identified for licensing include patents, plant varieties/hybrids, trade secrets, know-how etc.,
TRIPs compliance by developing countries effective from 1st January 2005 has provided a challenge to R & D institutions to implement IP laws at par with internationally acceptable standards. In order to reduce the high cost and time involved in R & D and to promote newly developed technologies to quickly reach the farmers, strengthening of industry linkages through
Licensing / Technology transfer of Intellectual property and intellectual assets is set within the broader area of knowledge valorization. In short, it is the process of transferring to society, the knowledge generated in the
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Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property : IIHR, Bangalore
public-private partnership is the best mode.
may be stated that the Indian Patent Law had certain provisions that were in direct conflict with TRIPs Agreement whereas the Copyright and Trade Marks Laws were, more or less, in tune with the TRIPs Agreement. ICAR recognized that research in frontier sciences, such as agro-biotechnology require intellectual property (IP) protection through patents, plant variety protection and other forms of IPR. Advancement of agricultural research under the IPR regime will see an increased role played by Public-private partnerships. The transfer of IPR enabled agricultural technologies through commercial route will gain greater importance. In response to the changing scenario of technology generation and dissemination, ICAR developed a policy framework that will guide the management of IP created by its scientists/innovators at its institutions or elsewhere, and that developed with its support.
In this context an attempt has been made to analyse the potential of technologies developed at IIHR and realizing their value and transfer these technologies to potential clients with a perception to reach the farmer.
Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer at IIHR The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India was established on 16 July 1929. The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. This is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
In the past, ICAR pursued its IPR endeavours on a case-tocase basis. Accordingly, several of its policy elements framed herein have been derived from relevant actions/ decisions taken in the ICAR from time to time. Moreover, the ICAR Rules and Guidelines for Training, Consultancy, Contract Research and Contract Services, 1974, the Rules and Byelaws of the ICAR Society, 2000, and the ICAR Guidelines for Filing Patent Applications, 2001 as amended in 2003 have been used to cull out some of the elements of the IP policy framework.
Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), a constituent institute of ICAR, established in 1967, is a premier research institute to carry out research on various aspects of horticultural crops in order to improve their productivity, quality and utility. Development and refinement of technologies / technical know-how that enhance horticultural crop production and productivity through concerted research is the primary objective of the Institute. The institute is well equipped with highly qualified and competent human resources, who undertake research on horticultural crops. The Institute has since inception contributed significantly to the growth and development of horticulture in the country through development and dissemination of improved high yielding varieties, hybrids, disease resistant cultivars; integrated nutrient and pest management strategies besides pre and post harvest management value addition. The technologies and technical know-how so far developed, have been disseminated to farmers, seed companies, nurserymen and various other stakeholders free of cost in order to help them gain substantially.
Ever since ICAR adopted its new Intellectual Property Management Policy on 2nd October 2006, the institute has also initiated its technology commercialisation drive. This led to the establishment of the Institute's Technology Management Unit (ITMU) to achieve this objective.
Structure of Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer at IIHR IIHR provides a centralized operation to look after Intellectual Property Management activities and transfer of technologies through the Institute Technology Management Unit (ITMU). This Unit looks after, all Techno-legal matters comprising Patent search, drafting, filing, maintenance, enforcement and technology transfer. The unit comprises of a Chairman and three members with expertise on IPR issues, WTO, Business process development, economics, PPVFR and germplasm related
India being a founder member of GATT, signed the WTO Treaty which came into force on 1st January 1995. On the date TRIPs Agreement entered into force India had Patents Act, 1970. Trade Marks Act, 1958 and the Copyright Act, 1957 in place. These were regarded as the core of intellectual property protection. At the outset, it
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Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property : IIHR, Bangalore issues and one member who also act as member secretary, VTIC. However Director will be the final decision taker in all activities pertaining to licensing of IP. IIHR is also empowered to license technologies through a public sector mediator like National Research and Development Corporation (NRDC).
Role of ITMU
Development of technologies has a major impact on all aspects of human life. It's a natural tendency for people to look into new technologies with better features that overcome the already existing technologies. Private sectors strive for minimum investment in R &D and instead look into partially developed products that can be sold at a higher rate with a little bit of inputs and energy. The institute has adopted the following three models for licensing of technologies ? Directly ? Private ? Public
•
Proposal received from innovator
•
Assess the potential and valuation of technology
•
Facilitate innovator for Patent search, Registration & IP protection
•
Identify and invite potential clients
•
ITMU-Innovator-Entrepreneur interaction
•
Negotiation
•
Preparation of MoU and License
•
Training on technologies
Reasons for Licensing out IIHR Technologies
to Private Sectors
? Accelerate cash flow, generate profit and justify
Sectors through a public sector mediator
time, efforts and funds committed to research
sector organization through NARS
? Facilitate easy availability and reach of our
products throughout the country.
As a policy, the institute licenses the technologies only on a non-exclusive basis and permits license operations only within the territory of India. At IIHR, there are basically two types of technologies. One is Farmer centric, where the generation of commerce is nil. This mainly includes Package of Practices, Pest and Disease control strategies etc. The second is Industry centric, where revenue in generated both for the institute and as well as the licensee. This mainly includes technologies, varieties and hybrids.
? Create investment opportunities ? Increase th technological capability and
competitiveness of the institute ? Make research more demand driven ? Make horticulture more investment friendly ? Speed up the global democratization of
technology
Calculation of Royalty
The modality adopted by IIHR for licensing of technologies is as follows:
? Demand for the product
The Variety / Technology is first submitted to VTIC and after its approval by VTIC, ITMU further proceeds with the process of licensing it to potential entrepreneurs.
? Geographical area covered ? Rate of return ? Probability level of continuing sale of the product
Identification of Variety/Technologies •
Variety / Technology submission to VTIC
•
In-situ Inspection and evaluation of technologies
•
Presentation of Technology by Innovator
•
Approval of Technology / Variety by VTIC
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in the market. ? Assessing the life span of the technology
An Overview of IIHR Technologies on Offer and in Pipeline The mandate of IIHR is to undertake basic & applied research to enhance productivity & utilization of tropical
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Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property : IIHR, Bangalore
and sub-tropical horticultural crops and to serve as a repository of scientific information relevant to horticulture and in turn serve the nation. The technologies developed are classified under the following theme areas: i.
Seed and Planting Material
ii.
Post Harvest Technologies
iii.
Plant Health Management Technologies
iv.
Farm Implements and Machinery
v.
Biotechnological Products
Varieties/hybrids of fruit crops include triploid seedless watermelon Arka Madhura and High yielding watermelon variety Arka Muthu with unique character of dwarf vine, Papaya varieties Arka Prabhath and Arka Surya having pink pulp and high TSS, Pink pulp with Soft seeded Guava variety Arka Kiran, superior fleshy Custard apple variety Arka Sahan each weighing not less than 300 to 500 gm with a shelf life of 6 to 7days. This variety has fewer and smaller seeds which do not stick to the pulp and is nutritionally rich with 87%, 249% and 42% more crude protein, phosphorous and calcium respectively as compared to common custard apple Beautiful ornamental crops displaying aesthetic features include High yielding Rose varieties, High yield and root knot nematode tolerant Tuberose varieties, pleasing Gladiolus varieties resistant to fusarium with a vase life of 7days, Fusarium wilt and Nematode tolerant lovely Carnations and Crossandra varieties Arka Ambara and Arka Kanaka with bigger sized flowers, which is 67% higher than the local cultivar.
The theme area Seed and Planting material comprises seeds of improved varieties, hybrids and advanced breeding lines of vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, medicinal and aromatic crops. Some of the promising Vegetable varieties/hybrids on offer under the theme area include High yielding Tomato F1 hybrids Arka Samrat and Arka Rakshak with triple disease resistance to Tomato Leaf Curl Virus (ToLCV), Bacterial Wilt (BW) and Early Blight (EB), High yielding Onion F1 hybrids Arka Kirthiman and Arka lalima with long storage life of 4-5months and bulb yield of 45-47 t/ha. We have also developed Synthetic variety of Onion Arka Bheem and Arka Akshay. These synthetic onion varieties offer the greatest advantage of multiplication of seed for 3-4 generations before selling to farmers (like open pollinated varieties) thereby reducing the technical difficulties of F1 seed production and are developed from intercrossing three parental lines of which one is a male sterile line. Some of the varieties/ hybrids in demand include Okra Genetic male sterile lines, Onion male sterile lines and Chilli Cytoplasmic male sterile lines. Other vegetable varieties/hybrids include high yielding Chilli F1 hybrids like Arka Harita, Arka Meghana and Arka Kyathi developed using male sterile lines tolerant to powdery mildew and viruses, Advanced Breeding line of Bell pepper resistant to powdery mildew and Brinjal resistant to bacterial wilt, High yielding, string less French bean Arka Sharath with smooth and round pods and Advanced Breeding line of French bean tolerant to Mung Bean Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus, three varieties of Dolichos Arka Soumya, Arka Sambhram and Arka Amogh, heat tolerant Garden pea and Cauliflower varieties Arka Spoorthi and Arka Vimal moderately resistant to Alternaria leaf spot and downy mildew.
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Promising Medicinal and aromatic Mucuna varieties Arka Dhanwantari and Arka Aswini having smooth pods and Ldopa content of 3.5 to 4.5%
Few Success Stories from IIHR Some of the case studies presented below elucidate the impact of our licensed technologies in the country and their demand in the market.
Case Study I Time and labour is a major constraint in today's world. Okra, a green edible pod vegetable is rich in vitamin and minerals whereas to produce just 1 kg hybrid seeds of okra, it requires 274 flowers, 9 hours and 37 minutes. This is done by hand emasculation followed by hand pollination of perfect flowers. IIHR has developed a novel method to produce hybrid seeds by using genetic male sterile lines. The method adopted drastically reduces 70% of the time used in hand pollination and also reduces manual labour. In genetic male sterile line it takes only 2 hours to get 1 kg hybrid seed. Genetic male sterile lines are useful for F1 hybrid seed production in okra and gives seed yield of 5.66qtl/ha. The seed material has great demand from hybrid seed
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Valorization and Licensing of Intellectual Property : IIHR, Bangalore production companies and has been licensed to 9 companies generating total revenue of Rs 13.5 lakhs.
Some Challenges before IIHR Technology Licensing is a complex process. It requires conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task and proper decision making at every stage. Negotiating a technology licensing deal, involves lot of painstaking efforts like techno-legal issues, Invention disclosure, IP ownership, Usage of the material within India. Valuation of IP including determination of royalties, upfront payment, Drafting of MoUs/MTAs, recommendations for changes in few clauses of the MoUs/MTAs, acceptance of MoUs/MTAs, sub-licensing, Royalty monitoring, Acquisitions and mergers, yearly performance reports, litigation, infringement, dispute settlement etc., While IIHR has successfully licensed several of its technologies within the territory of India, it is now in the process of trying to expand it to International licensing through a collaboration with other developed countries and also develop more strong and effective IP protection portfolios in the institute.
Case Study II Onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes. In India large numbers of open pollinated improved varieties of onion have been developed but these varieties lack uniformity and stability due to inherent cross pollinating nature and inbreeding depression. Hybrids in vegetables are known for uniformity, quality and higher yields. Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, to its credit has developed two F1 hybrids of onion called Arka Kirthiman and Arka Lalima. These are the best performing onion F1 hybrids developed using Cytoplasmic male sterility. Arka Kirthiman has uniform, light red colour, oval globe shape and medium to big sized, firm bulbs with good keeping quality and Arka Lalima has uniform, dark red colour, flat globe shape and medium to big sized bulbs with good keeping quality. Arka Kirthiman gives bulb yield of 45t/ha and Arka Lalima 47t/ha, 15-20% higher than the native varieties with good bulb and keeping quality and better field tolerance to disease and pests. The onion hybrids have generated revenue of Rs 12 lakhs.
Panoramas for IIHR Indian Institute of Horticultural Research is also looking ahead towards the launch of Horti-Business Incubation Centre- a central hub for horticulture Business in India. The Incubator will be an innovative system designed to assist entrepreneurs in the development of new technology based start-up businesses. IIHR aims to nurture young firms by helping them to survive and grow in a congenial atmosphere during their start up period. Entrepreneurial firms are offered Business process and development service, Incubation, innovation and IPR services, informatics support, financial support, shared office services, access to equipment, pilot plants, covered incubators, research assistance and expandable space - all under one roof. The main goal of this incubation program is to produce business ventures that are financially viable, self-sustaining and profit making when they leave the incubator.
Case Study III The increasing demand for Tomato, one of the most important vegetable crops in India has resulted in intensive cultivation of the crop in the country. This intensified demand has lead to the occurrence of major diseases viz; Tomato Leaf Curl Virus (ToLCV), Bacterial wilt (BW), Early Blight (EB), Root Knot Nematodes (RKN), Late Blight and Ground Nut Bud Necrosis Virus (GBNV) which individually and jointly cause considerable yield loss to the extent of 100%. Adoption of multiple disease resistant varieties/ F1 hybrids is the most practical way to address this serious problem. Breeding work at IIHR was intensified to develop two triple resistant tomato hybrids namely Arka Samrat (240) and Arka Rakshak (241) with resistance to ToLCV, BW and EB. They were also found highly promising for yield and fruit quality attributes. This hybrid was licensed to two companies and has generated revenue of Rs 10 lakhs.
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Indian Institute of Horticultural Research has set up the best example for effective valorization and licensing of its IP protected technologies across ICAR and is exploring new domains in Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer.
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Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization Dr. S.R. RAO Advisor, Department of Biotechnology Ministry of Science & Technology Govt. of India E-mail : srrao@dbt.nic.in
resistance management ; plight of agricultural extension and communication; non- availability of trained human resource in biosafety science and practice; weak interministerial coordination; unpredictable and ad-hoc decision- making process of central and state governments; intellectual property, biodiversity and legal issues; and finally vague political will and public policy. In the final analysis three questions could be recognized:
T
he decade of experience with Bt cotton and recent debacle in the approval of Bt brinjal by the regulatory framework with revised and globally harmonized biosafety assessment protocols taught several lessons in terms of: science and process of biosafety assessment; evolution of activists and their agenda against the technology; public perception and media response; dynamics of seed industry, pricing and markets; need for post-release management mechanisms; science of
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A.
45
Whether the existing regulatory framework operational under Rules, 1989 of Environmental Protection Act, 1986 is appropriate to address technological complexity of new generation modern biotechnology products and processes;
Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
B.
Whether guidelines and Standard Operation Practices (SOPs) of food and environmental safety risk assessment protocols and data requirements practiced today are adequate or updated; and
C.
Whether the public policy on genetic engineering in agricultural research, technology development and commercial use at national level has been articulated properly so far by the central or state governments.
(MoEF) of Central government is responsible for the approval of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous microorganisms as well as recombinant products in research and industrial production from the environment angle or commercial use. At State Level SBCC (State Biotechnology and co-ordination committee), DLC (district-level committee) inspect, supervise and involve monitoring with the help of scientists from state and central government institutions. Under the Rules (1989), A set of rDNA guidelines were issued in 1990 covering genetically engineered organisms, genetic transformation of plants and animals, mechanism of implementation of biosafety guidelines, containment facilities under three risk groups. Revised guidelines for safety assessment, pre or post-release monitoring are approved by GEAC through notifications from time –totime matching with the needs of scientific knowhow. Such documents do not require approval of parliament every time they are revised. In 1994 “Revised Guidelines for Safety in Biotechnology” was issued. During 1998, to provide special review for genetically engineered plants, “Revised Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants and guidelines for Toxicity and Allergenicity for Evaluation of Transgenic Seeds, plants and plant parts” had come into force. In response to changing needs of transgenic technology and safety science globally, in 2008 another set of “Guidelines and standards for operating procedures (SOPs) for confined field trials of regulated genetically engineering (GE) plants”
1.0 Regulatory framework comprises an Acts, rules and regulations, decrees, or guidelines, etc. that support and empowers the administrative and institutional mechanisms for decision making to approve or reject a product. For example new laws were passed to specifically address gene technology in Australia, South Africa, Japan, Malaysia and at regional level by European Union. Existing Statutory instruments are utilized in USA, Canada, Argentina and Philippines and India.
Current system in India Indian Acts, rules and regulations as well as procedures for handling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and rDNA products have been formulated under the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA) 1986 and Rules 1989. The Rules (1989) that came into force generally cover manufacture, use/import/export and storage of hazardous micro-organisms, genetically engineered organisms or cells and came into force from 1993.
With this Indian regulatory frame work, so far, five events of cotton with genes MON 531(cry1Ac gene); MON 15985 (cry1Ac & cry2Ab); GFM Cry 1A (cry1Ab –cry1Ac); JK-1 (cry1Ac) and CICR (cry1Ac) have been approved for commercial use. At least 4 new events of cotton and one event of Brinjal EE1 and corn each are under consideration even after a review and recommendation of RCGM to GEAC. Many perceive that this delay in decision making on pending applications by GEAC is the fallout of moratorium imposed on Bt Brinjal by Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India in February, 2010.
The Rules (1989) empowered regulatory decision making from the development of GE (genetically engineered) organisms including crops from the research stage to large-scale commercial use through a three-tier system. The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC) operates at research level approvals and the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) reviews all approved ongoing research projects involving the high-risk category and confined field experiments. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India services RCGM for providing recognition to IBSC's and also for regulating research and biosafety research level field experiments. Finally, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) functioning as an apex body in the Ministry of Environment and Forests
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However, an analysis in the background of global best practices in regulation of biotechnology products reveal that that existing system is not geared-up or even prepared for future challenges of increased complexity of
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Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
biotech product developments involving array of converging technologies and responding to public concerns.
consultative meetings were held with concerned stakeholders representing farmers and consumer's organizations, industry, legal experts, media and academia/ scientists from research institutions/ universities. State Governments were also consulted for their feedback. An Interdisciplinary and Inter-ministerial Advisory Committee was also constituted to oversee and advise on all matters related to drafting, reviewing the comments of experts and stakeholders as well as preparing final documents. The governmental process of inter-ministerial consultation has been completed including the finalization of bill by Union Ministry of Law & Justice Thus, NBRA became the “Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India” (BRAI) in the process and the BRAI Bill, 2012 to empower the same has been submitted to parliament for introduction into Lok Sabha.
Preparedness for the future: Indian government has been pro-active in recognising the strengths and weakness of current regulatory framework and reforms needed. The Task Force on the Application of Agriculture Biotechnology constituted by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2003 recommended the establishment of an “autonomous, statutory and professionally-led National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority” for generating the necessary public, political, professional and commercial confidence in the science-based regulatory mechanism. Subsequently, the other Task Force constituted by Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2004 on recombinant pharma also supported the establishment of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority.
Salient Features of the Regulatory Framework in BRAI Bill 2012:
India is a party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity signed at Rio de Janeiro on the 5th day of June, 1992 which came into force on the 29th December, 1993; and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention which was adopted in Montreal on the 29th September, 2000 and came into force on the 11th September, 2003.
The proposed statutory independent regulator that is the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) would be a nodal agency of the Government of India to ensure comprehensive safety assessment of organisms and products of modern biotechnology. Commercialization of biotechnology products in agriculture and healthcare would be subject to all other laws whether Central or State, for the time being in force and the rules and regulations made there under. The organizational plan of the Authority also provides collaborative arrangements, co-ordination and mechanisms with other existing regulatory agencies. The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2012, has following broad provisions:
In order to implement the recommendations of the aforesaid Task forces, and to give effect to certain legally binding provisions of the aforesaid Convention and Protocol, it has been decided to establish independent statutory regulatory framework to regulate the research, transport, import, manufacture and use of organisms and products of modern biotechnology so as to keep pace in regulatory measures with the rapid technology advancement in the field of modern biotechnology and at the same time ensure safety to human and animal health and the environment. The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology has been entrusted to act as the nodal agency to facilitate establishment “National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority” (NBRA) through an act of parliament. Accordingly, a consultative group of experts have prepared draft organization plan of NBRA and the proposed Bill. Both the draft documents were put in public domain for review and comments. Several
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I.
Establishment of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India to regulate the research, transport, import, manufacture and use of organisms and products of modern biotechnology.
ii.
Establishment of authority with a chairperson and two full time and two part-time members withcredibility, expertise and experience in biotechnology related agriculture, health care, industry, environment and basic sciences.
iii.
Constitution of Inter-Ministerial Governing Board to oversee the performance of the Authority.
Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
iv.
Constitution of Biotechnology Advisory Council to render strategic advice to the Authority on the matters relating to developments in modern biotechnology and their implications in India;
v.
Providing for Regulatory Divisions of the Authority dealing with agriculture, forest and fisheries, human health and veterinary products and industrial and environmental applications for implementation of safety assessment procedures and processes;
vi.
Constitution of Risk Assessment Unit comprising of multidisciplinary scientific officers; Product Rulings Committee And Environmental Appraisal Panel for elaborate risk assessment process involving scientific experts and representatives of concerned Ministries; and an independent organized public review system for evaluation of application before final approvals by 5 member Authority.
vii.
Constitution of State Biotechnology Regulatory Advisory Committees to act as nodal agency between the State Government and the Authority in respect of matters related to the regulation of modern biotechnology.
proposed under BRAI Bill and the current regulatory frame work under rules (1989) of EPA Act (1986). Current system did perform to the extent possible under severe limitations of skilled and specialised secretarial human resource; infrastructure and authority provided through committees consisting of scientific experts, civil service personnel and inter-ministerial representatives without a support from a dedicated risk assessment unit of professionals. The system was not transparent enough for applicant to follow the decision making process from the initial submission of an application through to the final decision due to inconsistency of terms and definitions in the administrative system. For example, the recent requirement of obtaining prior approval of State Governments for conducting biosafety research confined field trials is an ad-hoc decision and reactive regulatory step. Predictability in recent years has become impossible as it is not clear to applicants and other stakeholders who are responsible for taking decisions and on what basis? The proposed framework in the BRAI Bill attempts to address most of the limitations of current system. Some important governance and management aspects closer to best global practices include:
viii. Provides for notification by the Authority of accredited laboratories and research institutions by the Authority for the purposes of proposed legislation; ix.
Provides for Biotechnology Regulatory Appellate Tribunal consisting of full-time chairperson who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of India or a Chief Justice of a High Court and part-time expert members not exceeding five to hear the appeals against the decision or order or direction of the Authority;
x.
Provides for offences and penalties for contravening the provisions of the proposed legislation; and
Empower the Central Government to supersede the Authority in certain circumstances.
Comparative Analysis of Current and Proposed Regulatory Framework: It is not constructive exercise to compare the framework
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A.
Regulatory policy making and governance or management of Authority is separate from Product-specific decision making. Overall governance of the Authority will be by a legally empowered Inter-ministerial Governing Board, with chair and members (not below the rank of Additional Secretary) from 15 ministries/ departments of Government of India relevant to Biotechnology Development. All decisions of administrative, budgetary and decision making process and setting up standards for risk assessment would be taken by this board.
B.
The scope and objectives of the BRAI Bill is to establish an Authority for a thorough scientific assessment of risks associated with the products and processes involving modern biotechnology. The Authority, after elaborate safety assessment process, shall certify safety and efficacy of the biotechnology products. The commercial use of technology shall be subject to the policies, laws and regulations of line Ministries in the Central Government and State Governments, who are
Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
re s p o n s i b l e fo r d e p l o y m e nt o f m o d e r n technologies in agriculture, health care, process industry, environment protection etc., suitable to societal and local needs. Therefore, the Bill is synergistic with the powers of state governments in deciding upon approval or disapproval of the commercial use of product within the state. C.
The decision making on approvals of products is a step wise process and includes evaluation of proposals/applications based on guidelines and standards finalized by an Inter-ministerial G o ve r n i n g B o a rd a n d a l s o i n p u t s f ro m Biotechnology Advisory Council of various stakeholders from academics. Industry, civil society, farmers and consumer organizations
D.
Step- wise process of product specific safety and efficacy approvals will be done through a six tier system of review. I.
feature of harmonizing different legislations. iv. An independent mandatory provision of public review process ensures stakeholders participation in decision making process. According to provisions of the BRAI Bill the public will be informed of all applications for field trials and clinical trials and regulatory decisions made by the Authority. Further before final approval the Authority shall obtain the objection or suggestions from the public in case of organism and products considered by the authority without prejudice to the recommendations of other committees and approval process. The draft decision will be published on the BRAI webpage for public review over a period of time before final decision making. v. The final decision making vests with Authority consisting of chairperson of the authority with four members with expertise to address multiple applications of biotechnology viz. molecular biology, health care, agriculture and environment in all relevant disciplines
Institutional Biosafety Committees at institute/ university/ agency level would review R&D involving contained studies.
ii. Elaborate internal risk assessment Unit of Scientists trained for the purpose is provided within the authority to carefully analyse and examine the regulatory dossier of a product submitted by the applicant and prepare a report for consideration by the other committees; The Product Ruling Committee (PRC) akin to RCGM would deal with all aspects of confined biosafety experiments and safety assessment. PRC will have external experts elected from the roster of experts specific to product(s) under assessment than the current random practice of omnibus approach with long-term committee membership to examine the applications.
E. Harmonisation with other legislations (similar to arrangements with EPA Act 1986) mentioned above is an important feature of proposed system. In case of GM foods or food containing such ingredients (means food and food ingredients composed of, or containing, or produced from but not containing, genetically modified or engineered organism) obtained through modern biotechnology, the proposed authority would provide a comprehensive assessment of food and environmental safety. On approval of GM foods by the Authority to be safe for human consumption, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India would examine the labelling and hygiene related aspects.
iii. An independent Environment Appraisal Panel (EAP) headed by Chairman and Member Secretary with qualifications and experience nominated by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India to evaluate the issues related to environmental safety of products meeting the requirements of EPA 1986 within the organisation is an important
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
F. Notification or accreditation system of testing laboratories confined field testing
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Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
sites and their periodic auditing, a specialised unit for communication, socio-economic analysis units, constitution of scientific advisory panels for addressing specialised regulatory requirements of new technologies, timeline for decision making and transparency and a system of continuous capacity building of regulatory experts and personnel are some other important features.
competent committees or authority within the regulatory framework are obtained for finally implementing these guidelines. The current practices of scientific risk assessment methods and protocols followed under the existing regulatory framework or Rules 1989 have been the result of recommendations of ICMR constituted committee on food safety and harmonisation of with international consensus documents. Within the framework of these guidelines the case- by â&#x20AC;&#x201C; case evaluation is made recognising that level of risk ramifications of genetic modification of various food crops in terms of safety to human, animals, environment and biodiversity varies with the nature of genes, traits and crops. With any technology, a total certainty of cause and consequences cannot be assured. Current regulatory guidelines and protocols in India are robust enough to address food and environmental safety issues. As the experience grows with different types of GM crops, the regulatory science also evolves globally for assessment and management of even smallest of the risk.
As a support system the Department of Biotechnology in collaboration with other ministries, authorities and councils of agriculture and medicine would during the 12th Plan is planning to establish new regulatory testing facilities and strengthen the existing once (including field trial sites in different agro-climatic regions) in public sector on par with international testing facilities with best practices and state of art infrastructure. The BRAI Bill in when referred to Parliament committee shall wide open for further round of suggestions from stakeholders to shape it into a consensus legislation. On approval as act it is expected to provide a robust and credible regulatory system to meet the future challenges posed by complexity and convergence of technologies employed to produce biotech products in health care and agriculture and the evolving scientific protocols and experiments for safety assessments.
The current guidelines require a comprehensive safety testing to be conducted for a GM crop including toxicity assessment, allergenicity assessment, dietary exposure and substantial equivalence using test protocols such as: protein thermal stability, pepsin digestibility, molecular characterization, compositional assessment, acute oral toxicity (mice or rat), 90-day sub-chronic rat feeding, and livestock feeding (case by case basis). In addition, there are crop specific requirements for collection of data for confined field trials. The regulatory authorities are aware of the issues concerning the release of GMOs and therefore a strict regime of tests/ studies is being carried out for granting approval to the GM crop. No approval would be granted to the GM crops unless there has been a systematic analysis of its effects on the environment, biodiversity, biosafety, human health, and health of livestock and animals is proven to be safe. Safety and efficacy is evaluated by science-based experimentation and analysis on case-by-case basis and therefore, cannot be generalized as these are product specific.
2. Scientific Aspects of Risk Assessment under a given regulatory frame work , risk assessment process and protocols of GM products are carried out based on set of guidelines and Standard Operational Practices(SOPs). These guidelines are dynamic in nature and are updated from time to time depending upon progress in availability and suitability of more sensitive and specific tools, techniques, methods in safety science and assessment approach. Therefore, these guidelines are prepared through consultative process involving multidisciplinary experts and other relevant stakeholders. While finalising the guidelines the updated consensus documents developed by international organisations such Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), FAO-CODEX ailmentries, World Health Organisation (WHO) International Life Science Institute( ILSI) Food Committee and European Union (EU). Besides, country-wise developments at global level are also examined and complemented. Executive approvals from
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
The scientific risk assessment guidelines however are sometimes challenged by independent experts citing relevant publications and arguments. Regulation while from ideal standpoint has to consider application of every scientific concept, tool and technique for assuring that
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Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
new genetic modifications in crops are safe, on the other hand, one has to be careful to assure whether the suggested tools and concepts are possible to interpret and are unambiguous. Globally, the risk assessment protocols and processess are developed based on scientific evidence and experimentation with measurable end points that are reproducible and can be interpreted under various circumstances. Concepts, methods, tools encountered in scientific literature in this context need to be tested and adequately validated so that interpretation of results is not beset with ambiguity while interpreted by others. If simple, reproducible, cost effective and interpretable scientific processes and procedures are able to assess and predict possible risk, it is time consuming and expensive to use concepts and tools which are not validated and have no rationale for the purpose.
breakthroughs in applications and product development for social-economic benefits are possible. In general, GM technology policy in the last two decades has been to promote and develop R&D capacity in the field and deploy recombinant DNA technology for application in health care, agriculture, animal husbandry, environmental protection and bio-industrial development with adequate precautionary measures enshrined in international conventions, protocols and systems. In agriculture, the GM technology has been the preferred option only when there is no natural variability in a given crop species for a given trait and the existing management practices are of limited value for optimal performance of agriculture crops. Non-GM technologies such as tissue culture propagation, molecular marker assisted crop breeding, genomics and its applications etc were also utilized to exploit the natural variability. The areas of applications have been focused on the use of modern biotechnology tools in agriculture that will reduce not only the damage due to pests and diseases but also ensure environment protection from adverse effects of pesticides/insecticides, reduce cultivation costs of agriculture produce, develop crops with tolerance to drought and salinity, herbicide tolerance, virus resistance, improved product quality, improved nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced yield, quality and nutritional status etc.
3. Public Policy on Genetic Engineering in agricultural research, technology development and deployment needs a major technical and socio-economic review so as for formulate and announce a comprehensive official policy. Recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering is one of the breakthrough technologies like that of electricity, steam engine, nuclear energy, internet and others. Such breakthrough technologies have revolutionary potential because they are disruptive and often lead to major changes in the existing technology and public/market acceptance paradigms.
The overall goals therefore, has been to (i) ensure responsible use of technologies for the benefit of farmers and consumers with safety for consumption and environment including biodiversity and (ii) promote agriculture that is more efficient and competitive to meet the challenges of hunger, poverty, and malnutrition and food security. National Biotechnology Development Strategy (2007-till date) formulated by the Department of Biotechnology through consultative process inter alia infact states â&#x20AC;&#x153;agri-biotech policy should ensure that research and application in biotechnology is guided by a process of decision making that safeguards human health and environment with observance of the highest ethical standards. Accordingly, R&D in public sector institutions has been promoted case-by-case for application of genetic engineering or other technologies in various crops of national importance and at the same time providing support for facilitating safety assessment of these crops as per the prevailing regulatory systemâ&#x20AC;?. Similarly, the task
The policy makers and scientific community in India, during the last two decades invested time and money in the advancement of basic biological sciences and tools of development to a point that it is expected that
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Dynamics of Indian Biotechnology Regulatory Framework: Implications for GM Crops Development and Commercialization
force on Agricultural Biotechnology (2005) also recommends several policy perspectives and even lists priority crops and traits.
needs of farmers and consumers for increased public acceptance.
All the above policy perspectives and statements on agricultural biotechnology in India are however, scattered in various committee reports, government documents, reviews and research publications. There has been no single source for a comprehensive and consensus Governmental public policy pronouncement on agricultural biotechnology innovation, technology development and commercialization.
Selected References
Conclusion: In determining GM technology as a choice for achieving the development and sustainability goals of agriculture- public policies and governance systems should be formulated through consultative processes. Such policies and systems are urgently needed to serve as guiding principles for R&D and product development priorities. A robust, transparent and professional regulatory framework with elaborate scientific risk assessment process (as described in BRAI Bill) could then facilitate innovation that benefits farmers and consumers while addressing at the same time safety and efficacy of technologies. The effectiveness or commercial use of technology should be addressed within existing policy or legal frameworks and market forces. Therefore, it is imperative that Research priorities and product development in agriculture should be tailored to meet the
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1)
Documents of Biosafety : www.igmoris.nic.in and http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/
2)
Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill 2011, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science And Technology ( in Parliament)
3)
Toolkit â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Phase 3: The Administrative Systems For Handling Applications of UNEP-GEF Project On Development Of National Biosafety Frameworks (2006) at http://www.unep.org/biosafety/
4)
Rao, S.R. ( 2005 ) Guest editorial: Capacity Building activities in biosafety . Asian biotechnology Development Review 7: 1-17 Rao, S.R (2003). Status of regulation of genetically engineered products in selected countries- an analysis. Asian Biotechnology and Development Review. 6:23-37 The views expressed in this article are personal and bear no relationship with the official position in Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India
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A Step Towards Quality Seed Security- Success Story Of UAS, Dharwad R.R. Hanchinal, Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005 E-mail: vc_uasd@rediffmail.com
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agriculture, a successful venture for betterment of livelihood and to bring prosperity in people. In addition to enhancement of production and productivity, seed also help to increase utilization efficiency of other agricultural inputs viz., water, fertilizers, plant protection and growth regulating chemicals etc and thereby provides added dividends. Progress of food production largely depends upon the efficiency of seed programme (be it crop husbandry, horticulture or fisheries) with which a country multiply, market and supply quality seeds of elite varieties to the farmers. Keeping this in purview, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with its partner-State Agricultural University (SAU) and other related agencies keep on continuously responding to cater to the changing needs of the farmers in the country.
he spectacular achievements of Indian Agriculture from food scarcity in pre-independence period (<50 million tonnes) to surplus food (215 million tonnes) with export capability at present are results obtained with proper planning, execution and hard work of farmers, scientists and planners of the country. Quality seed supply of high yielding varieties/hybrids contributed more towards significant increase in food production with supported developments in irrigation, other inputs supply and enhanced awareness of new technologies developed. Seed constitutes the basic input for sustained growth in agriculture. Quality seed can substantially enhance productivity and production as a whole at marginal cost. Countries like ours having agriculture as the occupation of major Indian population and with predominance of agrarian economy, seed would play seminal role to make
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Karnataka state with diverse agro-climatic conditions has
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A Step Towards Quality Seed Security- Success Story Of UAS, Dharwad unique features of growing majority of the field and horticultural crops to achieve nutritional security of the population. However, the productivity levels of different crops are below the all India average in majority of the crops. It has been demonstrated in majority of the crops, that quality seeds of improved varieties results in yield increase of 20-25 %. However, there is wide gap between demand and supply of quality seed in the state. As a result seed replacement rate continues to be much below (10-12 %) the desired level of 25 and 35 % in self and cross pollinated crops, respectively. Majority of the small and marginal farmers require high volume low cost seeds that are neglected even by public sector seed producing organizations. All this lead to non availability of quality seeds to the farmers at right time and at reasonable price. Alternatively, the farmers use their own farm saved seeds of less potential traditional local varieties resulting in low productivity. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad has done exemplary work in quality seed production and distribution activities thus serving the cause of poor farmers who are usually deprived of quality seeds. It is known for its unique infrastructure facilities developed for seed processing, storage and laboratories for seed quality assurance and seed research. The university initiated a new chapter during 2001-02 by declaring this year as the year of quality seed and supported for the promotion of seed production activities. This bold decision helped the Seed Unit to increase the seed production capability from 1000 quintals to present status of 2 lakh quintals annually. For achieving this target university identified twelve Research Station exclusively for seed production and Research, provided all the infrastructure facilities to undertake this job. Seed village concept has been implemented for enhancing seed production and distribution programme with the adoption of seed villages each year. The potential seed villages in each district were identified to create a national map of seed villages. Many national scientists and policy makers visited potential seed villages like Giragaon, Badagi, Hanchinal villages in Bagalkot district and Kamadenu/Hirehonnihalli in Dharwad district. Such many more productive potential villages were identified to make a National grid for seed production of high volume low cost crops like groundnut and soybean. The university concentrated mainly on the seed production of new varieties of high volume low cost, self pollinated crops like groundnut, soybean, chickpea, wheat etc. which are not being touched by private
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
companies generally. This programme in addition to popularize newly developed varieties and hybrids, it also helped to demonstrate other technologies like INM, IPM etc. In addition human resource development was given a priority in the Seed Unit by employing unemployed rural youth and imparting training on various seed production technologies likewise earn while you learn programme was also implemented at Seed Unit. It was possible to accomplish the stupendous task of seed production and seed research to meet the aspirations of farming community with strong cohesive team work of our dedicated and committed scientists and supporting staff of Seed Unit in achieving rapidly enhanced seed production which is being appreciated throughout the nation as Dharwad Model. The University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad is one of the major public institute that is producing and supplying breeder/foundation/certified/truthfully labelled seeds of different field crops and horticultural crops to meet the demands of various seed producing agencies and farmers. University has given prime importance for maintaining genetic purity of the improved varieties or hybrids released for cultivation. The improved varieties or parental lines of hybrids are maintained on scientific lines by growing plant/earhead to progeny rows, selecting those progenies that confirm to all varietal described features including quality features and bulking seeds of such progenies to form nucleus seed to be used for breeder seed production. Depending on the quantum of seed requirement, seed multiplication ratio and mode of pollination, further multiplication of selected progeny bulk is made and grown as nucleus seed. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad visualised the requirement of quality seeds by the farming community focussing improved varieties of high volume low cost seeds such as groundnut, soybean, wheat, bengalgram, paddy, which were not catered by the private seed industry. In this direction, Seed Unit ventured into production and supply of a large quantity of seeds even prior to the implementation of Mega Seed project, Further with the implementation of Mega Seed project, it was possible to strengthen the activities through creation of farm mechanization, irrigation facilities, modern seed processing plants, drying and threshing yards, seed quality assurance laboratories in the main campus as well as satellite seed farms.
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A Step Towards Quality Seed Security- Success Story Of UAS, Dharwad
The impact of the project was clearly reflected in terms of sustained and progressive increase in quality seed production and supply. Candid progress was parallelly achieved in production and supply of vegetable seeds and planting material of horticulture crops resulting in establishment of productive orchards. The quality seed production and supply by the university created awareness about the use of certified seeds even among the other public seed production institutions leading to a healthy competition for supply of quality seeds. This resulted in increasing the seed replacement ratio in Karnataka through supply of seeds through different programmes of Government of Karnataka.
identified and infrastructurally developed to make them â&#x20AC;&#x153;National Gridsâ&#x20AC;? to meet the seed demand of neighbouring states and other regions of nation and to export to other countries to earn foreign exchange. Providing leadership role at state level aiming at seed quality security and capacity building at national level and to become role model with innovative ideas and technologies. To mitigate problem faced during the seed production, processing, storage etc., research activities needs to be strengthened at the University. Hence, there is a need establish a seed technological research unit at the University. The newly transformed seed farms needs to strengthen for taking up of seed production activities. To further hasten the process of participatory seed production the facilities like threshing yard, drying shed, seed storage godowns needs to created at village levels on community basis.
The University is producing seed by farmers participation through the novel method of seed production under 'Seed Village Concept'. The positive outcomes of this programme include awareness among the farmers about the new varieties and hybrids and their quick spread among the neighbouring villages. The seed producing farmers were also benefited by assured by back system by providing 10 per cent higher price than the commercial produce, thus improving the socio-economic status of the farming families in rural areas. The service rendered by Seed Unit through free testing of seeds of the farmers assures the quality of farm saved seeds before sowing. The project as created lot of employment generation and helped in human resources development.
UAS Dharwad has a reputation of being country's leading research centre and the research products developed by this centre have made a significant impact in different facets of crop improvement. Research work done at this centre on new concepts in Crop breeding and Biotechnological research has given rise to many products that have commercial value to seed industry. The product of hybrid research and breeding for better quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic streeses done at this has made an impact in the ICAR trials of central and south zones against competition from public and private sectors. Information from AICCIP report can be used as an index of their potentiality. Many improved varieties/ hybrids have been released by the University for cultivation in different regions/zones of Karnataka and India in field and horticultural crops. The technologies viz., delinting of coton seeds, polymer seed coating, broad bed and furrow method of groundnut cultivation, seed invigoration in soybean etc which are helpful in upgrading the seed quality have been demonstrated to the farming community.
UAS, Dharwad has the vision to reach the farmers of all the districts of Karnataka with quality seeds of improved varieties/hybrids in some selected seed villages through which they can spread to major cultivated area within short period. This would help in enhancing seed replacement rates to increase productivity of major crops. Karnataka state especially northern part has diverse climate, soil and other natural sources suitable to grow wide array of crops for seed production and distribution. Thus, there are many productive regions identified for seed production of field crops, vegetables etc. viz., Ranebennur, Bellary, Yelburga, Bagalkot etc. Such potential areas with suitable natural resources can be
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Vegetable Varieties/Hybrids Developed by IIVR and Possibilities of Public-Private Partnerships in Vegetable Seeds Prakash S. Naik, Sudhakar Pandey, Shailesh K.Tiwari Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi 221 305 Email: directoriivr@gmail.com
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vegetables are cabbage (5.4%), cauliflower (4.6%), okra (3.9%) and peas (2.4%). India ranks first in production of okra in the world (73% of world production) and second in other vegetables such as brinjal (27.55%), cabbage (13%), cauliflower & broccoli (36%), onion (19.90%), potato (13%) and tomato (11%).However, growth of vegetable sector across our country is uneven with 1 state in the productivity range of 25-30 t/ha, 4 states in the range of 20-25 t/ha, 7 states in the range of 15-20 t/ha, 10 states in the range of 10-15 t/ha and 6 states recording less than 10 t/ha vegetable productivity.
ajor vegetable producing countries of the world during 2010-2011 were: China [473.06 million t (48% world production)]; India [146.55 million t (14% world production)]; USA [35.29 million t (3% world production)]; Turkey [25.83 million t (2.2% world production)]; and Egypt [19.51 million t (2% world production)]. India with vegetable production of 146.55 million t is the second largest producer of vegetables after China (473.06 million t) in the world in 2010-2011. India contributes 14% of world's vegetable production with an area of 8.5 million hectares under vegetables, the average productivity of vegetables in India is 17.3 t/ha in 2010-11. Productivity of vegetables in India is seen to be lower than Spain (37.2 t/ha) and world average (18.8 t/ha). Potato (28.9%), tomato (11.3%), onion (10.3%) and brinjal (8.1%) are the major 4 vegetables contributing 58.6% of total vegetables production in the country. Other important
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Concerted vegetable improvement efforts and emergence of corporate sector in vegetable seed business have contributed immensely in enhancing vegetable productivity and production in our country. Compared to area (2.84 million ha), production (16.5 million tonnes) and productivity (5.8 t/ha) of vegetables in 1950-51, there
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP had been phenomenal increase in area (2.99 folds), production (8.88 folds) and productivity (2.98 folds) of vegetables in our country during the last 6 decades. However, there still exists a wide gap between the potential and average national productivity. Adoption of improved varieties/hybrids coupled with enhanced seed replacement rate is the single most important strategy to improve vegetable productivity. Majority of the vegetable
growers are either unaware about the developed improved varieties/hybrids of vegetable crops, especially those bred by public sector institutions. During the last one decade (2001 to 2012), Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) was instrumental in developing 46improved genotypes in 16 vegetable crops, of which 39 are varieties (23 pedigree/back-cross selections and 16 pure line/mass selections) and 7 are hybrids (Table 1).
Table 1: Salient features of varieties/hybrids developed by IIVR, Varanasi
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
Tomato 1.
Kashi Vishesh
Sel-7 x L. hirsutum f.glabratum B-6013 597 (E)/2006
Determinate, fruit red, spherical shape, size medium to large, resistant to tomato leaf curl virus resistant yield 400-450 q/ha.
J&K, H.P., Uttarakhand, Punjab, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Karnataka, A.P., Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
2.
Kashi Amrit
Sel-7 x L. hirsutum f.glabratum B-6013 597 (E)/2006
Determinate, round shape, colour attractive red, suitable for cultivation under tomato leaf curl virus, yield 620q/ha
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
3.
Kashi Anupam
Sel-7 x L. hirsutum f.glabratum B-6013 597 (E)/2006
Determinate, fruits large, flatish round (slightly indented at blossom end of fruit, 6 locules, medium maturity yield 500-600 q/ha.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Delhi.
4.
Kashi Hemant
Pedigree selection Sel. -7 Ă&#x2014; Floraded 597 (E)/2006
Determinate, concentrated fruit with attractive red colour and round shaped, yield 400420 q/ha.
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, A.P., M.P. and Maharashtra.
5.
Kashi Sharad
Pedigree selection MTH-6 Ă&#x2014; KalyaniEunish 597 (E)/2006
Indeterminate, slightly oval shape and firm, thick pericarp suitable for longer shelf life, yield 400-500 q/ha.
J&K, H.P. and Uttarakhand.
6.
Kashi Abhimaan*
Heterosis breeding (F1 hybrid) Recommended by AICRP (2012). Under process for notification
Determinate, moderate resistance to tomato leaf curl virus, fruits colour deep red, firm, yield 8000-900 q/ha
J & K, HP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, UP, Bihar, and Jharkand
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
Brinjal 7.
Kashi Sandesh*
Heterosis breeding (F1 hybrid) 2035(E)/2006
Fruits shape round, medium size, light purple, yield 750800 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
8.
Kashi Prakash
Mass selection fromgermplasm 597 (E)/2006
Fruit shape oblong, light green spotted colour, yield 650-700 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
9.
Kashi Taru
Mass selection from germplasm 597 (E)/2006
Fruits long, glossy dark purple colour, suitable for summer and autumn seasons cultivation, yield 700-750 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand
Chilli 10
Kashi Anmol
Selection from populationintroduced from Sri Lanka 597 (E)/2006
Determinate, fruit pendant, colour attractive green, suitable for green fruit production under chilliwheat/chilli-potato cropping system, yield 200 q/ha.
Punjab, U.P., Bihar and Jharkhand.
11
Kashi Surkh*
Heterosis breeding (F1 hybrid) 2035(E)/2006
Fruits colour light green, suitable for green as well as red fruit production, green fruit yield 240 q/ha, red fruit yield 140 q/h
Punjab, U.P., Bihar and Jharkhand
12
Kashi Gaurav
Mass selection from a commercial hybrid 456(E)/2012
Bushy plant, 50% flowering in 35-40 days after transplanting, tolerant to thrips and mites dark green and dark red colour, suitable for autumnwinter season cultivation, red ripe fruit yield 100 q/ha.
West Bengal and Assam
13
Kashi Sinduri (paprika type)
Selection from introduced population from AVRDC 456(E)/2012
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Plants determinate, moderately resistant to anthracnose, 50% flowering in 30-35 days after transplanting, fruits green at immature and dark red at ripe stage nonpungent and high oleoresin content (15 percent), red ripe fruits yield 140 q/ha and green fruit yield 200-225 q/ha
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Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
French Bean 7.
Kashi Param
Pedigree selection (IIHR-909 x KVP-1) 2035(E)/2006
Determinate, fleshy Pod, round, colour dark green, green pod yield 120-140 q/ha.
J&K, H.P., Uttarakhand, M.P. and Maharashtra.
Cow Pea 9.
Kashi Shyamal
Pure line selection from germplasmaccession Kala Jhamla 597 (E)/2006
dwarf and bushy type variety (70-75 cm height), suitable for both Kharif and Jaid season, early in flowering (40 days after sowing), first harvesting after 48 days of sowing, 35-40 pods per plant with pod length of 25-30 cm, pod colour green, tolerant to Golden mosaic virus, pod yield 70-80 q/ha
Punjab, U.P., Bihar and Jharkhand.
11
Kashi Gauri
Pedigree selection (IIHR Sel. 16 x Sel. 2-1) 597 (E)/2006
Bushy plant, photoinsensitive, early maturing, suitable for sowing in both spring summer and rainy season, flowers in 35-38 days and pods get ready for harvest in 45-48 days, pods 25-30 cm long, light green, resistant to golden mosaic virus and Psedocercosporacruenta, green pods yield 100-120 q/ha.
U.P., Bihar and Jharkhand
Kashi Unnati
Pedigree selection (Cowpea-263 x ArkaGarima) 858 (E)/2010
Bushy plant type, photo, insensitive, early variety suitable for sowing in both spring summer and rainy season, individual plant bears 40-45 pods, resistant to golden mosaic virus and Psedocercosporacruenta, green pods yield 100-150 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand
Kashi Kanchan
Back cross pedigree selection (Sel-2-2 x BC-244002) x Sel-2-2 858 (E)/2010
Bushy plant, photo, insensitive, early maturing suitable for sowing in both spring summer and rainy season, produces 40-45 pods per plant, average pod length
U.P., Bihar, Punjab, Jharkhand, Odisha, AP, Chhattisgargh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
of 30-35 cm. pods dark green, tender, pulpy and less fibrous, resistant to golden mosaic virus and Psedocercosporacruenta, green pod yield 150-200 q/ha Kashi Nidhi
Pedigree selection (KashiUnnati x Cowpea-263) Recommended by AICRP (2011). Under process for notification
Plant dwarf, medium maturing, sowing in both spring summer and rainy season, 25-30 pods per plant, average pod length 25-30cm, pod colour green, moderate resistant to golden mosaic virus, green pods yield 35-140 q/ha.
U.P., Bihar, Punjab and Jharkhand.
Kashi Nandini
Pedigree selection (P-1542 x VT-2-1) 597 (E)/2006
Early (50% plants bears flowers at 34 days after sowing), 7-8 pods per plant, pods length 8-9cm, pod filled with 8-9 seeds, shelling percentage 47-48, yield of 110-120 q/ha.
J&K, H.P., Uttarakhand, Punjab, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Kashi Udai
Pedigree selection (Arkel x FC-1) 597 (E)/2006
Early (50% plants bear flowers at 35-37 days after sowing), 810 pods per plant. Pods length 9-10 cm, pod filled with 8-9 bold seed, selling percentage 48, yield 100-110 q/ha.
U.P., Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Kashi Shakti
Pedigree selection (Hara Bona x NDVP-8) 597 (E)/2006
Medium maturing (50% plants bear flowers at 54-56 days after sowing), 11-12 pods per plant, Pods length 10-11 cm, pod filled with 7.5-8.5 bold seed, selling percentage 4849, yield 140-160 q/ha.
U.P., Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Kashi Mukti
Pedigree selection (No.7 x PM-5) 597 (E)/2006
Early maturing powdery mildew resistant variety. Plant height is 50-53 cm and 50% plants bear flowers at 35-36 days after sowing. Foliage light green, pods are 8.5-9 cm long, attractive filled with 8-9 bold, soft textured seeds, selling percentage 48-49 and yield 11-12 t/ha.
U.P., Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid Kashi Samridhi
Parentage & Notification Number with Year Pedigree selection (FC-1 x PM-5)
Salient Features
Adaptability
Late maturing (60-63 days for 50 % flowering), powdery mildew resistant, Pod green in colour, 13-14 pods per plant, shelling percentage 46-48, yield 120-140 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Jharkhand
Pure-line Selection from Tripura Recommended by AICRP (2011). Under process for notification
Pole type, 250-300 pods per plant, average pod length of 14-15cm, pods colour green, soft in texture, free from parchment layer, yield 350375 q/ha.
NEH region, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Karnatka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Shitla Uphar*
Heterosis breeding (F1hybrid) 1135(E)/2001
Flowering starts 38-40 days after sowing, resistant to yellow vein mosaic virus and OLCV fruits colour green, length 11-13 cm at marketable stage, yield 150-170 q/ha.
Punjab, U.P., Bihar, M.P. and Maharashtra.
Shitla Jyoti*
Heterosis breeding (F1hybrid ) 1135(E)/2001
Flowering starts 30-40 days after sowing, resistant to YVMV and OLCV, fruit colour green, length 12-14 cm at marketable stage and yield 2022 t/ha.
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and AP.
Kashi Mohini
Selection from local collection 1135(E)/2001
Plants 110-140 cm tall, resistant to OLCV. Fruits 11.312.6 cm long, green, suitable for summer and rainy season, tolerate high temperature during summer season, yield 130-150 q/ha.
Recommended for growing in all okra growing regions of the country.
Kashi Vibhuti
Pedigree selection (NIC9303 x IC111547) x IIVR 20 597 (E)/2006
Flowering starts on 4th to 5th nodes after 38-40 days after sowing, resistant to YVMV and OLCV, individual plant bears 18-22 fruits with 8-10 length cm at marketable stage and yield 170-180 q/ha.
Rajashthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Delhi.
Recommended by AICRP (2009). Under process for notification Cow Pea Kashi Haritima
Okra
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
Kashi Pragati
Pedigree selection (NIC9303 x PK 20) 597 (E)/2006
First flower appears after 3638 days after sowing, resistant to YVMV and OLCV, single plant bears 23-25 fruits of 810 cm length at marketable stage, yield 180-190 q/ha in rainy and 130-140 q/ha in summer season.
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and AP.
Kashi Satdhari
Pedigree selection (PK x IC 111542) x IIVR 20 597 (E)/2006
Seven ridges variety resistant against YVMV under field condition, flowering starts 42 days after sowing, individual plant bears 18-25 fruits of 1315 cm length at marketable stage, yield 110-140 q/ha.
UP, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Kashi Lila
Pedigree selection (NIC-9305 x HRB-9-2) x IIVR-50 2035 (E)/2006
Flowering starts 30-34 days after sowing resistant to YVMV, suitable for rainy and summer season cultivation as early crop due to low temperature tolerance, fruits green 13-15 cm long. yield 150-170 q/ha.
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, AP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Delhi.
Kashi Bhairav*
Heterosis breeding (F1 hybrid) 597 (E)/2006
Fruit colour dark green, resistant to YVMV and OLCV under field condition, length 10-12 cm at marketable stage, yield 160-180 q/ha.
Recommended for growing in all okra growing regions of the country.
Kashi Kranti
Pedigree selection (VRO-6 x 67-10-02) Recommended by AICRP (2009). Under process for notification.
First harvest starts 45-46 days after seed sowing, resistant to YVMV and OLCV, fruits dark green,. Individual plants bears about 17-18 fruits of 8-10 cm length, suitable for cultivation in summer and rainy season, yield 125-145 q/ha.
UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand
Mass selection from gene pool maintained at IIVR 597 (E)/2006
Early harvesting (30-35 days after sowing), Roots 25-30 cm long, 3.3-4.0 cm in diameter, straight, tapering with pointed tip, yield 450-470 q/ha.
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Radish Kashi Sweta
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid Kashi Hans
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
Mass selection from gene pool maintained at IIVR 597 (E)/2006
Suitable for September to February planting, ready for harvest after 40-45 days of sowing, 10-15 days can tolerate the pithiness, leaves are soft and smooth like spinach, roots straight and tapering type, 30-35 cm long and 3.5-4.2 cm in diameter, yield 430-450 q/ha
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand
Selection from gene pool maintained at IIVR 597 (E)/2006
Early maturing group variety, suitable time of sowing-end of June to July, curds semi-dome type, white compact; fine texture, average weight 300450 g, yield 300-350 q/ha.
UP Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand
Selection from Mau germplasm 2035 (E)/2006
Fruits round, with open prominent green sutures, weight 650-725 g, half-slip in nature, flesh salomon orange, thick, with 13-14 % T.S.S., medium maturity, long Post harvest life, tolerant to powdery and downy mildew, yield 200-270 q/ha.
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Kashi Dhawal
Selection from Bareilly germplam (IVAG-502) 597 (E)/2006
Fruits oblong, average weight 11-12 kg, fruit flesh white with 8.5-8.7 cm thickness, seed arrangements linear, crop duration 120 days, yield 550-600 q/ha, suitable for preparation of Petha sweets due to high flesh recovery.
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
KasiUjwal
Selection from Jhansi germplam (IVAG-90) 2035 (E)/2006
Less seeded fruits with average weight of 10-12 kg with globular in shape, yield 400-500 q/ha, suitable for preparation of Petha sweets due to high flesh recovery.
Punjab, Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Cauliflower Kashi Kunwari
Muskmelon Kashi Madhu
Ash Gourd
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Sl. No.
Crop and Variety/Hybrid
Kashi Surbhi
Parentage & Notification Number with Year
Salient Features
Adaptability
Selection from Mirjapurgermplam Recommended by AICRP (2009). Under process for notification.
Oblong shape fruit, medium in size (9.5-10 kg), flesh white with 8.5-8.7 cm thickness, 2.53.0 fruit per plant, high flesh recovery, suitable for preparation of Petha sweets, yield 700-750 q/ha.
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Pedigree selection (NDPK-24 x PKM) 597(E)/2006
Vine short, early maturing, fruits colour green, spherical shape, weight 2.5-3.0 kg at green stage, best for green fruit production, yield 300-350 q/ha.
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
KashiBahar*
Heterosis breeding (F1 hybrid) 597(E)/2006
Long fruit, single plant bears 12 light green straight fruits of 30-32 cm length and 780-850g weight, suitable for both season cultivation (rainy and summer), yield 500-550 q/ha.
U.P., Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Kashi Ganga
Pedigree selection (IC92465 x DVBG151)597(E)/2006
Fruit light green, 30 cm length, 7cm diameter, fruit weight 800-900g, yield 480-550 q/ha, suitable for Kharif and summer season cultivation.
UP, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Single plant selection (VRSG-101 x VRSG111) 456(E)/2012
Fruiting starts 48-50 days after sowing, single plant bears 1012 light green fruits of 15-16 cm length, each of 80-85g, suitable for rainy and summer season cultivation, yield 250300 q/ha.
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chattishgarh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Clonal selection from local germplasm 858(E)/2012
Fruits colour green, spindle in shape and striped at distal end of the fruit, single plant bears 120-130 fruits of 6.7 cm length and each weighing 25-27g, yield 180-200 q/ha.
Pumpkin Kashi Harit
Bottle Gourd
Sponge Gourd Kashi Divya
Pointed Gourd Kashi Alankar
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Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand
IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
A
suitable for growing in 1 zone, 8 in 2 zones, 4 in 3 zones, 2 in 4 zones and 2 in more than 4 zones. The list of the varieties/hybrids along with details of zones is given in Table 2.
mong the developed varieties/hybrids, 8 have been recommended for Zone-I, 4 for Zone-II, 3 for Zone-III, 37 for Zone-IV, 9 for Zone-V, 6 for Zone-VI and 7 for ZoneVII and 8 for zoneVIII. Thirty improved genotypes are
Table 2: Adaptability zones of varieties/hybrids developed by IIVR, Varanasi. Crop Tomato
Brinjal
Chilli
Cow Pea
Pea
Variety/hybrid
Adaptability zones*
Crop
Variety/hybrid
Adaptability zones*
Kashi Vishesh
I, IV, V, VIII
French Bean
Kashi Param
I, VI
Kashi Amrit
IV
Indian Bean
Kashi Haritima
III, IV, VIII
Kashi Anupam
VI
Okra
Shitla Uphar**
IV, VII
Kashi Hemant
V, VII
Shitla Jyoti**
V, VII
Kashi Sharad
I
Kashi Vibhuti
VI
Kashi Abhimaan**
I, IV
Kashi Pragati
IV, V
Kashi Sandesh**
IV
Kashi Satdhari
IV
Kashi Prakash
IV
Kashi Lila
V, VI
Kashi Taru
IV
Kashi Bhairav**
All zone
KashiAnmol
IV
Kashi Mohini
All zone
Kashi Surkh**
II, IV, V, VII
Kashi Kranti
IV
Kashi Gaurav
II
Kashi Sweta
IV
Kashi Sinduri
I, IV, VIII
Kashi Hans
IV
Kashi Shyamal
IV
Cauliflower
Kashi Kunwari
IV
Kashi Gauri
VIII
Muskmelon
Kashi Madhu
IV
Kashi Unnati
IV
Ash Gourd
Kashi Dhawal
IV
Kashi Kanchan
IV, V, VII
Kasi Ujwal
IV, VIII
Kashi Nidhi
IV
Kashi Surbhi
IV
Kashi Nandini
I, IV, VIII
Pumpkin
Kashi Harit
IV
Kashi Udai
IV
Bottle Gourd
Kashi Bahar**
IV
Kashi Shakti
IV
Kashi Ganga
IV
Kashi Mukti
IV
Sponge Gourd
Kashi Divya
IV
Kashi Samridhi
IV
Pointed Gourd
Kashi Alankar
IV
Radish
* Zone–I: Jammu & Kashmir, H.P. and Uttarakhand; Zone–II: West Bengal and Assam; Zone–III: North East States and Andman& Nicobar Islands; Zone–IV: Punjab, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand ;Zone–V: Chhatishgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh ; Zone–VI: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Delhi ; Zone–VII: Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra ; Zone–VIII: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala ** Hybrid
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
A
subsequent crop. Analysis of 31 varieties/hybrids in 12 vegetables based on number of days required for 1st harvest after seed sowing indicates that 17 belong to early maturing group, 12 to medium maturing group and 2 to late maturing group (Table 3).
vailability of varieties in different maturity groups provides opportunity to farmers to select a need based variety. Early maturing varieties are economically more viable because early produce of these varieties fetches better prices and land is vacated quickly for taking
Table 3: Maturity groups of varieties/hybrids developed by IIVR, Varanasi.
Crop Tomato
Brinjal
Maturity
Variety/hybrid
Early (first harvest before 75 days of seed sowing )
Kashi Vishesh
Medium (first harvest between 75-90 days after seed sowing)
KashiSharad, KashiAnupam
Early ((first harvest before 75 days of seed sowing )
Kashi Taru, Kashi Prakash
Medium (first harvest between 75-90 days after seed sowing)
Kashi Sandesh*
Medium (first harvest between 75-90 days after seed sowing)
KashiAnmol, KashiSurkh*, KashiGaurav
Late (first harvest after 90 days of seed sowing
KashiSinduri (paprika)
Cow Pea
Early (first harvest before 50 days of seed sowing)
KashiKanchan, KashiUnnati, KashiNidhi
Pea
Early (first harvest before 65 days of seed sowing )
KashiNandini, KashiUdai, KashiMukti
Medium (first harvest after 65 to 85 days of seed sowing )
Kashi Shakti
Late (first harvest after 85 days of seed sowing)
KashiSamridhi
Early (first harvest before 50 days of seed sowing)
KashiVibhuti, Kashi Lila, KashiKranti
Medium (first harvest after 50 to 65 days of seed sowing)
KashiPragati, KashiSatdhari
Radish
Early (first harvest before 45 days of seed sowing)
Kashi Hans, KashiSweta
Cauliflower
Early (first harvest before 60 days of seed sowing)
Kashi Kunwari
Pumpkin
Early (first harvest before 60 days of seed sowing)
Kashi Harit
Muskmelon
Medium (first harvest after 90 to 100 days of seed sowing)
Kashi Madhu
Bottle Gourd
Medium (first harvest after 60 to 80 days of seed sowing)
Kashi Ganga, KashiBahar
Sponge Gourd
Early (first harvest before 55 days of seed sowing)
KashiDivya
Chilli
Okra
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
D
tolerant/resistant varieties of different vegetable crops is an important component of integrated pest and disease management.The institute has developed 14 varieties and 5 hybrids having tolerance/resistance to different diseases and insect pests. These are given in table 4.
evelopment of biotic stress tolerant/resistant varieties is also a major goal of vegetable improvement at IIVR, Varanasi. Most important biotic stresses are tomato leaf curl virus, pepper leaf curl virus; powdery mildew, yellow vein mosaic virus, enation leaf curl virus,borers, thrips, mites and white fly. Inclusionof
Table 4: Reactions of IIVR varieties/hybrids to different biotic stresses.
Crop
Disease/Insect
Variety/hybrid
Tomato
Moderate resistant to tomato leaf curl virus
KashiVishesh, KashiAbhimaan*
Chilli
Tolerant to pepper leaf curl virus
KashiSurkh*
Tolerant to thrips and mite
KashiSurkh*
Cow Pea
Resistant to golden mosaic virus
KashiGauri, KashiUnnati, KashiKanchan, KashiNidhi
Pea
Resistant to Powdery mildew
Kashi Samridhi
Tolerant to leaf minor and pod borer
Kashi Nandini
Resistance to yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV)
SheetalaUphar*, SheetalaJyoti*, KashiPragati, KashiVibhuti, KashiBhairav*, Kashi Lila, KashiKranti
Resistance to enation leaf curl virus (ELCV)
Sheetala Uphar*, Sheetala Jyoti*, Kashi Pragati, Kashi Vibhuti Kashi Bhairav*, Kashi Mohini, Kashi Kranti
Muskmelon
Tolerant to powdery mildew
Kashi Madhu
Ash Gourd
Tolerant to anthracnose
Kashi Dhawal
Okra
** Hybrid
S
and Kashi Kanchan; Kashi Nandini and Kashi Udai varieties of pea for canning; and Kashi Dhawal and Kashi Ujwal of ash gourd for preparation of sweet viz. petha.
ome of the varieties/hybrids developed by IIVR also posses certain desirable traits. These are suitability for long distance transportation of tomato hybrid Kashi Abhimaan; more shelf life of Kashi Sharad tomatoes; suitability of chilli variety Kashi Sindhuri for oleoresin extraction; suitability of chilli hybrid Kashi Surkh for processing into dry chilli powder; suitability for long distance transportation of cowpea varieties KashiGauri
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Many of IIVR varieties are adopted by the farmers throughout the country due their high productivity, quality and consumer preference. Salient features and photographs of 12 most important varieties have been given in table 5.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Table 5: Popular vegetable varieties bred at IIVR.
Tomato Kashi Vishesh This TLCV resistant variety has been developed through backcross pedigree selection using L. hirusutumf. glabratumB-6013 as a donor parent. Plant has determinate growth habit, dark green foliage, red spherical medium to large fruits each of 80 g. First harvest can be taken at 70-75 days after transplanting. It has yield potential of 430-450 q/ha.
Chilli Kashi Anmol Plants are determinate, bushy with nodal pigmentation on stems. Fruits pendant, colour attractive green, first picking can be taken 50 days after transplanting. It is suitable for green fruit production under chilliwheat/chilli-potato cropping system. It has yield (green chilli) potential of 200-225 q/ha in crop duration of 130-145 days.
Cow pea Kashi Unnati Plants are bush type, photo-insensitive and early maturing suitable for sowing in both spring summer and rainy season. It flowers in 30-35 days after sowing and pods get ready for harvest in 40-45 days after sowing. It produces 40-45 pods per plant with average pod length of 30-35 cm. The variety is resistant to golden mosaic virus and Psedocercosporacruenta and produces about 100-150 q/ha green pods.
Kashi Kanchan Plants are dwarf, photo-insensitive and early maturing suitable for sowing in both spring summer and rainy season. It flowers in 40-45 days and pods get ready for harvest in 50-55 days. It produces 40-45 pods per plant with average pod length of 30-35 cm. The pods are dark green, tender, pulpy and less fibrous. The plants have moderate resistant to golden mosaic virus and Psedocercosporacruenta and produces about 150-200 q/ha green pods.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Table 5: Popular vegetable varieties bred at IIVR. Pea Kashi Nandini This early variety has been developed through hybridization (P-1542 x VT2-1) followed pedigree selection. Plant height is 47-51 cm, erect and 50% plants bear flowers 34 days after seed sowing foliage is dark green with 7-8 pods per plant. Pods are 8-9 cm long, attractive well-filled with 8-9 seeds, shelling percentage 47-48%. Plants are tolerant to leaf miner and pod borer and has yield potential of 110-120 q/ha.
Kashi Udai This variety has been developed through hybridization (Arkel and FC-1) followed pedigree selection. Plant height 58-62 cm, short internodes with 8-10 pods per plant with dark green foliage and ~50% plants bear flower after 35-37 days of seed sowing. Pods are 9-10 cm long, attractive filled with 8-9 bold seed, shelling percentage 48 and has yield potential of 100110 q/ha.
Radish Kashi Sweta This variety has been developed through selection from Japanese germplasm. It's suitable for spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons sowing. Roots become ready for harvesting in 30-35 days after sowing. Roots are 25-30 cm long, 3.5-4 cm in diameter, straight, tapering with blunt tip. It has been recommended for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh and has yield potential of 480-500 q/ha.
Kashi Hans This variety has been developed through mass selection.It is suitable for planting from September to February and Ist harvesting can be done within 40-50 days after sowing. Due to late pithiness, it can stand in the field upto 10-15 days after edible maturity. Its leaves are soft and smooth. Roots are straight and tapering of 35-40 cm long and 3.5-4.2 cm in diameter. It is recommended for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh and has yield potential of 430-450q/ha.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
Table 5: Popular vegetable varieties bred at IIVR. Okra Kashi Pragati It is tall (130-175 cm), with 2-3 branches of half curd shape. First flower appears after 36-38 days after sowing on 4th nods during rainy season and 3rd node during summer season. Single plant bears 23-25 fruits of 8-10 cm length. It is resistant to YVMV and OLCV and A.P. and has yield potential of 190-210 q/ha (rainy season crop) and 130-150 q/ha (summer season crop).
Pumpkin Kashi Harit This variety has been developed through hybridization (NDPK-24 x PKM) followed by pedigree selection. It has short vines and dark green leaves with white spots. Fruits are green, spherical, weight 2.5-3.0 kg at green stage and has yield potential of 300-350 q/ha in 65 days of crop duration.
Ash gourd Kashi Dhawal This variety has been developed through selection from a local germplasmcollection. Its vine length is 7.5-8 cm bearing oblong fruits each of 11-12 kg. Flesh is white with 8.5-8.7 cm thickness and seed arrangement is linear, crop duration is 120 days. Due to high flesh recovery this variety is suitable for preparation of Petha sweets. It is recommended for cultivation in the states of eastern India. The variety has yield potential of 580-600 q/ha.
Kashi Ujwal This variety has been developed through selection. Fruits are globular in shape, each weighing 10-12 kg and less-seeded. This variety is also suitable for preparation of petha sweets. It is recommended for cultivation in the states of Punjab, U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and has yield potential of 400-500q/ha in 130-140 days of crop duration.
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
successful in developing technologies through elaborate infrastructure but is ineffective in delivering products to the ultimate stake-holders. While public-sector organizations have long-term goal of sustainability and attitude of public-service, the private sector has medium and short term focused goals largely backed by the profitoriented attitude. The research priorities in public sector are generally less dynamic with broader focus, whereas, the priorities in private sectors are more practical and influenced by market demand. The most distinct aspects of both the sectors are their domains for infrastructure, expertise and networking, which generate opportunitiesfor maximum synergy in accessibility of inputs and delivery of the products.
Public-Private Partnership in Vegetable Seeds: Way Ahead Vegetables play a major role in viable agricultural diversification, providing food, health and nutritional security.Although India ranks 2nd in vegetable production after China, its vegetable productivity is less than many other countries and the world average. One of the reasons for this low productivity is inadequate access of Indian farmers to the modern technologies including improved seeds. Seed is a vital input for agriculture including vegetables. Vegetable seed industry in India is growing by about 15% annually in comparison to 5% growth rate of global seed market with only few giants controlling 80% of the market. Release of many highyielding, widely adapted open-pollinated varieties and promising hybrids by National Agricultural Research System (NARS) has contributed immensely towards the growth of vegetable seed industry of India. With new seed development policy 1988-89 the private sector has emerged as the major contributor in seeds particularly hybrid seeds in the country. Adoption of these hybrids by farmers has changed their lives by increasing productivity and income levels. Apart from meeting the expectations of the growers, intensive marketing by the private sector has been a major factor for this success.
The complementarities of both the sectors have great potentials in generating synergistic relationships and the concept of Public-private partnerships (PPP) has proved successful in commercial deployment of many modern technologies in many countries. PPP includes all collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors in which each sector contributes to the planning, resources, and activities needed to accomplish mutual objectives. Research partnership between the public and private sector is essential to achieve faster progress and dissemination of technologies to the end users. Such relationships are constructive means of enhancing the production of goods, services and technologies that would not otherwise be produced by either sector operating in isolation. PPP can play major role in reducing the timeline in breeding for traits of commercial value. These initiatives in vegetables will be essential means of alleviating nutritional security and also stimulating economic growth and development in the country.
Plant varieties in general and vegetable varieties/hybrids in particular present several important challenges for efficient quality and IPR management systems because they are biological products which are prone to degeneration and can easily be reproduced and used through efficient multiplication. The users of these seeds are millions of individual farmers whose compliance with any protection method is difficult and expensive to monitor. To address the concerns about quality and effective IPRs in seed industry, the government of India has enacted several legislations and is making efforts to come up with measures for efficient management of seeds toensure availability of quality seeds and planting materials to the farmers.
The success of any PPP depends on the key factors like identification of potential partners, unambiguous contractual arrangements and transparency among the partners with aim to complement skill and resources so as to generate the maximum output. Identification of potential partners should be done after a realistic assessment of strengths and weaknesses for the collaborating partners and the target stake-holders with aim of adding benefit to all partners and stake-holders. It is vital for all potential partners to be open about their prospects and priorities in the joint project including the internal priority list. This should also include targets and milestones of the project. The parties should understand and respect the operational and cultural values of the
Traditionally, attempts have been made to solve the problems of farmers independently by public and private sector. However, it has been realized by both the sectors that isolated attempts cannot provide long lasting solutions to the farmers. Contributions of private sector lie in its ability to bring products to the market quickly and generate profit; however, public-sector has been
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IIVR Vegetable Varities : Possibilities of PPP
partners to profoundly contribute to the productivity in p a r t n e rs h i p . C o n t ra c t u a l a r ra n g e m e n t s m u s t unambiguously state the division of task and share and use of the commercial rights/benefits with the collaborations with special emphasis on liability and IPR issues. Good genetic material with both the sectors can be shared with clear understanding and transparent memorandum of understanding (MoU). Ensuring full transparency in follow-up along with keeping some competitive advantage is a vital factor contributing to the life span of the partnership. The key issues to create congenial environment for promoting PPP are:
improve agricultural research and transfer developed technologies to the farmers. Such partnership will be useful in area of mutual interest and farmer's benefit. With aim to increase the acreage under its varieties/ technologies, the institute has distributed the seeds of 33 varieties and hybrids of 14 vegetable crops to many private seed companies for demonstration and objective evaluation through material transfer agreement (MTA). Any private/public sector organization desiring to collaborate with the institute and obtain seeds of the promising varieties/hybrids and value added and registered germplasm has to sign an MTA with the institute. MTA can be downloaded from (http://iivr.org.in /Announcement.aspx?subId=Documents). The institute is all set to license its promising varieties/technologies on non-exclusive basis for further multiplication and sale of materials including parental lines of the hybrids to the private sector in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi (http://www.icar.org.in/node/401). The fees and annual royalties for licensing the production and marketing rights of the technologies is to be dealt on case-by-case basis and as per ICAR guidelines.
? Access to genetic resources and improved genetic
stocks of vegetable crops using conventional, biotechnological and other modern applications. ? Initiating confidence building measures among
partners and transparency in agreements to make the partnership attractive to each partner. ? Development of a road-map and replication of
successful PPP models in various vegetables. IIVR recognizes that PPP has immense potential to
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National Seed Association of India 909, Surya Kiran Building, 19, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi -110001 (INDIA) Ph.: 011-43553241-45; Fax : 011-43533248 E-mail : nsai.delhi@gmail.com
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand - Role Of SAU R.P. Singh Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand E-mail: dsfbau@rediffmail.com
The cropped area is only 28 lakh ha with the cropping intensity of just 117 which is far below the national average. The total geographical are of Jharkhand state is 79.72 lakhs ha and cultivable land for agriculture is approximately 38 lakh ha. The climate is dry with less moisture. The soil is acidic in nature and irrigation facilities are very meagre. Only 12 percent in Kharif season and 6-8 percent area in Rabi season is irrigated. The average annual rainfall of the state is 1280 mm but due to its erratic distribution more than 80 percent water runoff, rainfall occurs around 80-100 days only out of 365 days. Normally, the rain starts from 15th June and ends by 25th September. The main crops of Jharkhand state are paddy, maize, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, potato and vegetables. Besides this there are good opportunities to raise horticultural crops in the state. The average productivity of major field crops in Jharkhand is far below
Introduction The state of Jharkhand came into existence on Nov. 15, 2000 from the erstwhile Bihar. The total population of the state as per census 2011, is 329.66 lakhs having share of 2.72 percent in the overall population of the country. Jharkhand is a rural state consisting 28 percent ST and 12 percent SC population which is dependent mainly on agriculture. Inspite of rich natural resources the state is rated as backward one due to poor agricultural growth and output. According to the 55th round of National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), 10.46 percent of all households in Jharkhand faced seasonal food insecurity. The data also revealed that 2.5 percent of the households face chronic food shortage. Furthermore, it was revealed that 64 percent of the households face food shortage for 2-3 months while as much as 28 percent households did not have sufficient food for 4-5 months.
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand than the national average, which indicates the backwardness of the agriculture in the state, as indicated in table 1 only productivity of pulses seems to be higher
than the national average. During the first decade of the new millennium Jharkhand agriculture has suffered due to severe droughts atleast for four years.
Table 1: Comparative description of productivity (kg/ha) of food grains of Jharkhand and India Year 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Jharkhand
India
Percent decrease in productivity as compared to National level
1095 1199 1053 1490 1234 1073 1550 1709 1720 1330 1245
1626 1734 1535 1727 1652 1715 2180 1860 1909 1798 1921
32.66 30.85 31.4 13.72 25.3 37.43 28.9 8.12 9.9 26.03 35.19
Source: Department of Economics and Statistics, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
process over time. The potential benefits from increasing the use of quality seeds of a diverse range of crop varieties by farmers are widely acknowledged. Food security is heavily dependent on the seed security of the farming community (FAO, 2009). Seed industry plays an important role in increasing food production. It provides high quality seeds of high yielding varieties at right time and at right place. Though the seed is critical, its cost in farmer's total price of inputs is low as compared to other input factors (fertilizer, agrochemicals, irrigations and post harvest management etc.). With small increase of seed cost, the yield enhancement could be in the range of 20% to 100 percent. In India and other parts of the world, the so-called green revolution was due to higher-quality seed of semi-dwarf varieties of major cereal crops, particularly wheat and rice. In the first decade of the new millennium, the success of improved Bt-cotton productivity in India is an example of what technology can deliver and could be a lesson for other crops.
The major constraints to good crop production are related to hydrology (moisture stress), soil and nutrients, availability of high quality seed of improved varieties and insect, disease and weed problems, difficulties in crop establishment, and lack of specific technologies (IPM, INM, IDM etc.). Moreover, the seed replacement rate (SRR) and varietal replacement rate (VRR) in the state of Jharkhand are also very low.
It is estimated that the direct contribution of quality seed alone to the total production is about 15-20 percent depending upon the crop and it can be further raised up to 45 percent with effective management of other inputs. The National Policy 2002, clearly emphasis that "it has become evident that in order to achieve the food production targets of the future, a major effort will be required to enhance the seed replacement rate of various
Seed is one of the most crucial elements in the livelihoods of agricultural communities. It is the repository of the genetic potential of crop species and their varieties resulting from the continual improvement and selection
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand
crops. This would require a major increase in the production of quality seed". There is a "strong corelationships between the quality of seeds, the seed replacement rate and the yields". One of the major reasons for low yields is disappointingly low rate of seed replacement. However, the desirable seed replacement rates (SRR), are 33 percent for self pollinated crops, 50 percent for cross pollinated crops and 100 percent for hybrid.
important for food security in the State. At Gauria Karma Farm though not sufficient but workable facilities regarding seed production, processing and storage have been developed in addition to farm power and machinery. The progress related to seed and planting material production, establishment of aromatic and medicinal plant nurseries are mentioned below:
A. Seed Production
To make timely availability of quality seed/planting material at affordable price in the adequate quantity to the farming communities of the Jharkhand state is the mandate of Directorate of Seed & Farms, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi. Therefore, it is planned to have seed production programme upto foundation seed at University level and certified seed at farmers field utilizing Seed Village concept. To meet the stated objectives, Gauria Karma Farm, Hazaribagh, BAU has started working for the benefit of the state, since 2005. The State Govt. has provided 800 ha of land at Gauria Karma Farm, Hazaribagh to the University to fulfill the need of the seed of the Jharkhand State. This farm is being utilized for seed research, production, processing, storage and training centre. The prime objective of establishment of this centre is to fulfill the demand of foundation seed of improved varieties of crops being
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Initially, upto 2005 the seed production activities were limited upto the production of paddy seed only in Kharif season. The Activities related to quality seed production of major cereals, oilseeds and pulses started in big way since 2006. After the inception of various state and central Govt. agencies sponsored projects the activities expanded in two aspects viz., increasing the number of crops and started seed production during both seasons (Kharif and Rabi). In 2006 the foundation seed was produced of ten crops in a single step and by the end of 2011-12 during kharif the seed production of 40 varieties of 13 crops was taken while the seed production of 17 varieties belonging to 9 crops (cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and cash crops) was taken during rabi season. Since the mandate of the Directorate of Seed & Farms is to produce quality foundation seed, therefore, the major emphasis was placed on to produce FS seed at Head Quarter and at
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand Gauria Karma Farm while initially KVKs were assigned the task to produce the certified/TL seeds in order to popularized the varieties and to provide certified seed to the farming community. The foundation seed produced be distributed to the Seed Villages established by the Govt. of Jharkhand so that they could produce the quality certified seed. In addition the foundation seed also provided to the Govt. owned state farms in order to
multiply the foundation seed particularly in kharif season. The quantity of seed production went down in 2009-10 and 2010-11 because of serious drought continuously for two years, inspite in drought year also 7.74 times in 200910 and 7.27 times in 2010-11 in comparison of the 200405. The progressive status of seed production under Directorate of Seed & Farms at BAU, Ranchi before and after 2005 is mentioned in table 2.
Table 2: Progressive status of seed production at BAU, Ranchi Year
Total (Q)
Year
Total (Q)
2002
433
2007
4165.1
2003
798
2008
5819.2
2004
389
2009*
3011.5
2005
1493.8
2010*
3000
2006
3103.8
2011**
4343.9
* Serious drought observed ** Yield was effected due to late onset of monsoon during Kharif season and virtually no rains during Rabi season during 2011-12. Moreover, at each KVK seed production of the most popular varieties is being taken in order to make quality seed available at fordable prices to the farmers locally. The participatory seed production programme was started with the help of Directorate of Seed & Farms and KVKs in 2009-10, 1920q paddy seed was produced while in 2010-11 the quantity of participatory seed produced was 1515q and in 2011-12 the seed produced through this approach went upto 12417q in paddy, pigeonpea and groundnut. The participatory seed production also increased by six times to the level of 2009-10. Similarly, the customary the seed processing through seed processing plants established under BAU, Ranchi started to process the farmer's produced seed. The seed production and processing with the help of BAU seed producing centre is given in table 3.
Participatory Seed Production and Processing "Seed village" is a concept that has come up to mitigate the shortage of seeds. Seed village is a viable concept for improving seed replacement rate essential for accelerating farm production and poverty alleviation. To do this large number of seed villages presently, 22 in the field crop seed production and 14 in vegetable seed production have been established with the help of Govt. In addition under the umbrella of the Directorate of Seed & Farms, BAU, KVK Dhanbad and Chatra have also established several seed villages and keep on engaging farmers for this value added farming. Nevertheless, two new seed villages were also established in East Singhbhum district with the help of NABARD Bank and Business Planning and Development Unit (BPD-BAU) Table 3: Participatory seed production and processing Year
Participatory seed production at farmers field (in quintal)
Seed processings of farmers/seed villages through the seed processing plants of BAU (in quintals)
1
2008-09
Nil
925
2
2009-10
1920
1179
3
2010-11
1515
1515
4
2011-12
12417
3900
S.N.
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Within the short span of 6-7 years the university could make significant dent in the field of quality seed production, processing, storage and marketing as can be seen from the table 4 and has become the only source of
foundation seed in the Jharkhand state. It has been included in the group of universities/institutes who get support from the council (DSR-ICAR) 10000 to 20000 quintals Quantum of seed production.
Table 4: Grouping of cooperating centres based on quantum of seed production Quantum of production
Centres
SAUs >50000 quintals
"UAS, Dharward, PAU, Ludhiana"
40000 to 50000 quintals
"AAU, Jorhat, BCKV, Nadia"
30000 to 40000 quintals
"UAS, Bangalore; ANGRAU, Hyderabad"
20000 to 30000 quintals
"CCSHAU, Hissar; KNKVV, Jabalpur"
10000 to 20000 quintals
"NDUA&T, Faizabad; CSAUA&T, Kanpur; BHU, Varanasi; BAU, Ranchi, OUA&T Bhubaneshwaar; JAU, Junagadh; MKV, Parb hani; MPKVV, Rahuri; Dr. PDKV, Akola, TNAU, Coimbatore"
5000 to 10000 quintals
"CSKHPKV, Palampur; SVBPUA&T, Meerut, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar; RAU, Pusa; Bikaner; MPUAT, Udaipur; AAU, Anand; NAU, Navsari; IGKVV, Raipur; KKV, Dapoli"
1000 to 5000 quintals
"SKUAS&T Srinagar, SKUAS&T, Jammu; UBKV, Pundibari; SDAU, S.K. Nagar; KAU, Trissur"
Upto 1000 quintals
"CAU, Imphal"
ICAR Institutes >10000 quintals
"IARI, New Delhi; DSR, Hyderabad"
2000 to 3000 quintals
"DWR, Karnal; CRRI, Cuttack"
1000 to 2000 quintals
"DRR, Hyderabad; DSR, Mau"
500 to 1000 quintals
"IIPR, Kanpur; IGFRI, Jhansi"
250 to 500 quintals
"VPKAS, Almora; CRIJAF, Barrackpore; DRMR, Bharatpur, CICR, Nagpur, DOR, Hyderabad"
Upto 250 quintals
"DGR, Junagdh; CAZRI, Jodhpur, ICAR RC for Goa; DSR, Indore, DMR, New Delhi; CARI, Portblair"
Centres which are produced planting material only
"IISR, Lucknow; SBI, Coimbatore; VSI, Pune."
Source: ICAR Seed Project Annual Report 2011-12
order to produce and propagate planting material round the year. Jharkhand State is bestowed with excellent climate for all types of fruit culture except temperate one. Govt. has adopted the policy to increase area under fruit crops however, the major limitations is the availability of good quality planting materials.
B. Planting Material The prospects regarding the expansion of area under fruit crops in the state, it appears that barren and cultivable waste land area 5.74 lakh ha, agricultural waste land 2.74 lakh ha, other fallows 6.74 lakh ha and area under current fallow is 8.87 lakh ha. Therefore, after totalling, this area becomes to 24.1 lakh ha. area could be brought under different kind of horticultural crops which is a great sign for horticulture expansion in the state. To produce this quantity of planting material of different fruit crops one has to require huge infrastructure in terms of nurseries, mother plant trees, hi-tech and polyhouse unit etc. in
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Directorate of Seed & Farms, BAU Ranchi has established 15 nos. of mother plant nursery in major districts of Jharkhand representing the all three sub zones of the state. Out of this four nurseries are of > 4 ha. size while remaining are of 1 ha. size at each KVK under the university. In order to maintain the high quality and
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand genetic purity of planting material, the Directorate of Seed & Farms, BAU took great care to procure the planting material from the original source from which the variety was developed and released. Twelve fruit crops and 65 varieties of fruit plants have been incorporated in mother block considering the location specific
requirements. Efforts have been made to bring the entire varieties of 12 fruit plant crops from the source of origin of the variety to avoid any future adulteration. The detail of fruit crop/variety and the source from which they were collected is given in table 5.
Table 5: Establishment of mother plant nurseries (MPNs) within the jurisdiction of BAU Crops
Variety
Source
Aonla
NA-7, Kanchan, Chakiya, NA-6, NA-10
NDUAT, Faizabad, Regional Horticulture Research Station, Basti
Langra, Dashehari, Chausa,
CISH, Lucknow
Amrapali, Mallika
IARI, RS Karnal
Pusa Arunima
IARI, Delhi
Khas Maldah, Bombay Green, Himsagar, Gulab
BAC, Sabour
Mango
Guava
Sardar, Allahabad Safeda, Lalit, sweta
CISH, Lucknow
Aneuploid lines
IARI, New Delhi
Arka Mridula, Arka Amulya
IIHR, Bangalore
Pant Prabhat
GBPUAT, Pant Nagar
Hisar Surkha
HAU, Hissar
Litchi
Shahi, China, Rose Scented, Early Bedana, Kasba
RAU, Pusa
Lime
Kagzi Kalan
IARI, RS, Karnal, GBPUAT, Pant, Nagar
Beal
CISH-B-1, B-2
CISH, Lucknow
NB-5, NB-7
NDUAT, Faizabad, RHRS, Basti
Kagzi beal
BAC, Sabour
Pant Sujata, Pant Aprna, Pant Siwani
GBPAUT, Pant Nagar
DSH-2, Kalipatti, Cricket Ball
UAS, Dharwar, ASPEE College, Navasari
PKM-1
FRS, Periyakulam
Balanagar, Balanagar Hybrid, Red Sitaphal
FRS, Sangareddy
Arka Sahan
IIHR, Bangalore
Umran, Kaithli
HAU, Hissar, Central State Farm, Hissar
Sapota Custard apple Ber
Citrus
Banarasi Kadaka
BHU, Banaras
Gola, Seb, Banarasi Kadaka, Kaithli\
CIAH, Bikaner
Kinnow, Red flesh, Pine apple, Mosumbi
FRS, Abohar collected from National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi; Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow; Directorate of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), Anand, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Jabalpur and Anand Agricultural University (AAU), Anand. The nurseries of these M&AP plants were established in the year of 2009-10 for multiplication in the Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Garden
C. Establishment of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Nursery The seed production programme of medicinal and aromatic plants was started in the year 2010 with the financial support from National Medicinal Plants Board, New Delhi and National Horticulture Mission (Jharkhand). The different Medicinal & Aromatic Plants varieties/ accessions belongs to 18 species and 50 varieties
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand and Model Nursery of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Forestry. Details of different medicinal & aromatic plant
species grown at Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Garden and Model Nursery of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Forestry are mentioned in table 6.
Table 6: List of improved & released varieties of medicinal & aromatic plants multiplied at M&AP garden and Model Nursery of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Forestry
Sl. No
Medicinal & aromatic plant
Name of varieties
Source
1
Shatavar (Asparagus racemosus Willd.)
"JS 1, IC 471900, IC 471903, IC 471905, IC 471923, IC 471924"
"JNKVV, Jabalpur, NBPGR New Delhi"
2
Kewach (Mucuna pruriens Hook. Non. DC)
"IC 15809 A, IC 326953, IC 385925, IC 385926, IC 385927, IC 395793"
NBPGR New Delhi
3
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L.)
"JA 20, JA 134, IC 204612, Poshita"
"JNKVV, Jabalpur, NBPGR New Delhi, CIMAP Lucknow"
4
Sadabahar (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.)
"IC 49581, IC 120837 & IC 415024"
NBPGR New Delhi
5
Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall)
"AK 1, JK 1"
"JNKVV, Jabalpur, AAU Anand"
6
Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia L.)
"IC 111238, IC 111251, IC 111256"
NBPGR New Delhi
7
Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. & Fernandez
"ASM 1, MCB 405"
"JNKVV, Jabalpur, " AAU Anand
8
Ghritkumari (Aloe vera (L.))
"G â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8, IC 111269, IC 111271, IC 111280, IC 112517, IC 112521, IC 112527, IC 112531"
NBPGR New Delhi, DMAPR Anand"
9
Sarpgandha (Rauvolfia serpertina Benth. Ex. Kurz.)
RS 1
JNKVV, Jabalpur
10
Senna (Cassia angustifolia Wall.)
AFLT 2
AAU Anand
11
Isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk)
JI 4
JNKVV, Jabalpur
12
Chandrasur (Lepidium sativum L.)
GA 1
AAU Anand
13
Amrita (Tinospora cordifolia (Willd) Miers ex)
IC 281959, IC 281972
NBPGR New Delhi
14
Puja tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn.)
CIM Angana
CIMAP Lucknow
15
Shyam tulsi (Ocimum americanum Linn.)
GAU 2, IC 381185, IC 436153
NBPGR New Delhi, AAU Anand
16
Lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexusosus Spreng)
CPK 25, RRL 16
JNKVV, Jabalpur
17
Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) Wats)
PRC 1
JNKVV, Jabalpur
18
Khus (Vitiveria zizanoides (L.) Nash)
HYB 8, NC 66404, NC 66416
NBPGR New Delhi
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand
Impact made by the University in the Jharkhand State in Seed and Seed Replacement Rate
Production and distribution of quality seed Year wise distribution of quality seed of high yielding varieties (HYVs) among farmers in Jharkhand. The popularity of quality seed is gaining momentum among the tribal farming community of the state. As can be seen from the table the distribution of quality seed of high yielding varieties has Qty (q) increased more than 5 fold Year after the launching of 2005-06 22366 various seed projects so 38258 much so the rate of seed 2006-07 replacement rate (SRR) is 2007-08 64336 also increasing but not achieved as per national 2008-09 60341 seed plan 2005 as detailed 2009-10 125528 in table 7.
Since its inception in 1981 Birsa Agricultural University has released a large number of varieties in Cereals-25 (Paddy17, Maize-2, Wheat-3, Fingermillet-2 and Gundli-1), Pulses-3 (Pigeonpea-1, Kulthi-1 and Urd-1), Oilseed-9 (Soybean-2, Groundnut-4, Mustard-1 and Niger-2) and two varieties in Vegetables (Frenchbean-1 and Cowpea-1) for cultivation in the Jharkhand state. However, the availability of quality seed of these improved varieties was meagre on large scale activities related to seed production and distribution was started in 2005 after support from various agencies to the BAU. Though not sufficient but university is trying hard to produce the seed of most of the crop/varieties popular in Jharkhand. The impact after 2005 is briefly discussed below:
Table 7: Progressive status of seed replacement rate (SRR%) in Jharkhand Crop
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
Achieved/not achieved
Paddy
7.63
14.61
23.42
25.13
Not achieved
Maize
2.02
7.63
19.18
15.71
Not achieved
Wheat
-
-
-
27.63
Not achieved
Lentil
-
-
-
12.82
Not achieved
Toria
-
-
-
58.31
Achieved
Source: Zonal seed review meeting for Kharif 2010 (North-East Zone) dt. 11.2.2010, MOA-GOI Zonal seed review meeting for Rabi 2011-12 (North-East Zone dt. 12.9.2011) MOA-GOI
Overall Impact ? In 2006-07, seven seed villages were established,
? The average productivity of major field crops (paddy,
presently there are 27 seed villages for field crop seed production established by Govt. of Jharkhand, university and NABARD Bank. The foundation seed (FS) to all seed villages is being supplied by Directorate of Seed & Farms, BAU since beginning. In 2011 the more than 90,000q quality certified seed was produced by the seed villages (Table 8).
wheat, maize, pulses & oilseeds) was 1507 kg/ha in 2006-07 has been increased to 2156 kg/ha in 201112. ? Production of major field crops (paddy, wheat,
maize, pulses & oilseeds) was 37.23 lakhs MT has been increased upto 62.43 lakh MT in 2011-12.
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Table 8: Quantity of certified seed produced through seed village schemes (Govt. of Jharkhand) Year
Quantity of certified seed produced through seed village schemes (000q)
2008-09
45,000
2009-10
54,000
2010-11
19,405
2011-12
90,000
? Majority of the farmers of the state belong to ST, SC
eastern region in general and vast rice fallow lands in particular, the seed replacement rate (SRR) and varietal replacement rate (VRR) both are very poor. Eastern region is characterized as 'low-yielding and slow-growth'. In the eastern region, planting of traditional varieties (TVs) are predominated. The share of land area planted with MVs reported to be just 21% and 24% in lowland and medium lands, respectively.
and backward communities are small and marginal ones. After knowing the importance of quality seeds in rice (the only predominant crop of the state) some of them are switching to cultivate hybrids which is a positive sign as in 2011 (kharif) more than 2 lakh ha. area has been covered under hybrid rice particularly in the medium and low land situation. The popularity of hybrids particularly in rice and maize is gaining momentum.
3.
Virtual absence of seed enhancement technologies in public sector: In the public sector seed supply system much emphasis is given on high-volume lowvalue seed of major food crops while private seed sector is involved in supplying low volume and high value crops (hybrids) in order to maximize their profit. Presently, in the name of seed enhancement technologies only seed treatment with fungicides and/or pesticides are being used by public sector seed supply system while highly sophisticated technologies i.e. seed coating, seed pelleting and solid matrix priming etc. are applied by the private seed sector in case of hybrids, vegetables and flower seeds.
4.
Seed production of major crops while neglecting other crops: Presently, greater importance is given to produce seed of major crops only and several important but under-utilized and orphan crops are getting neglected by both public and private seed sectors in the country. In this process, several of the important varieties developed in the public sector and/or farmers varieties which were highly adapted to the local environment are lost. The traditional millets and pulses represent the worst scenario. Therefore, more emphasis is to be given for the seed production of these under-utilized/ orphan/ neglected crop(s) / varieties of these crops at local level.
? To fulfill its commitment to the social cause the seed
production, research and training farm Gauria Karma, Hazaribagh is also working for the social upliftment of the society by providing work to at least 400 labourers per month on an average basis.
Challenges 1.
2.
Less coverage under hybrids: There is a very little focus on the hybrid seed production in public sector although the private sector has taken lead in this direction. Whilst the area under cotton went up from 7.6 million ha. to 11 million ha by 2010 (44% increase) over 8 years period in India, the penetration of hybrid seeds for paddy is meagre 2.5% as against 80% for Cotton, 60% for pearl millet and 55% for Maize. Between the years 2000 and 2008, the yields of corn in the country increased upwards by 60% from 1800 Kg/ha mainly because of an increase of 46% in the acreage under hybrids. Interestingly, China with 33% lesser acreage (31.35 million ha) enjoys 35% higher rice production as compared to India. The productivity for rice in India has been stagnant at 3.3 ton/ha (paddy) which is less than half that of China due to low SRRs (Seed Replacement Rates) and varietal replacement rates (VRRs). Slow adoption of modern varieties (MVs): In the
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand
5.
On farm seed priming: â&#x20AC;&#x153;On-farmâ&#x20AC;? seed priming offers, low risk, low cost and effective tool for using micronutrients and/or other biological inoculants. However, the most critical aspect of on farm seed priming is to decide the "safe-limits" i.e. the maximum length of time for which seeds can be soaked. The research is needed on location/ crop/ variety/treatment/time basis.
6.
Emphasis on farmers managed seed system: The widespread attention to the formation of formal seed supply systems in developing countries has resulted in a virtual denial of the existence of local seed supply systems. These consist of farmer selection, on-farm seed production and local diffusion. These activities are equivalent to breeding, production and marketing in the formal system. The crop diversity developed and maintained by farming communities play a big role in adapting agriculture to climate change and variability. And history shows that farmer-bred seeds can be adopted and dispersed rather quickly. In India, the "waterproofing" trait has been transferred into a popular rice variety 'Swarna'. The trait for flood-tolerance was derived from a farmers' variety, Dhullaputia identified over 50 years ago in Orissa in India as the world's most flood-tolerant rice variety.
7.
concentration (ETC Group, 2008)]. Climate change might also be the best argument for preserving local crop varieties around the world, so that plant breeders can draw from as wide a palette as possible when trying to develop plants that can cope with more frequent drought or new pests. Agriculture is in third place as a contributor to climate warming, far behind energy use and chlorofluorocarbon production (Halweil, 2005).
Seed production of climate resilient crops/varieties: Agriculture is extremely sensitive to climate and weather and the resilience of our production systems to changes in climate is enhanced by understanding these impacts and their effects. As predicted South Asia will be hit particularly hard by climate change. Crop production can be increased by use of quality seeds of climate resilient high yielding varieties as mentioned below. If farming communities are to adapt successfully to climate change, they will need crop varieties with greater tolerance to stresses such as drought and heat. One important adaptation strategy for farmers is to switch from highly vulnerable to less vulnerable crops (Lobell et al., 2008). Crop diversification must also include under-utilized species that offer natural tolerance to environmental stresses like heat, drought, cold, etc. Adaptation to climate change is not just about seeds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it's about farming systems [Action group on erosion, technology and
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8.
Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measurements: Seeds are considered high-risk material in international trade, providing a ready pathway for movement of pests, especially seed-borne pathogens. The International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) published by the IPCC provide guidance regarding phytosanitary measures and their application to the international seed trade. They can severe as a benchmark for comparison of national sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
9.
Emphasis on public-private partnership: The importance of the formal seed sector is often overestimated. The availability of the quality seeds can also be increased by the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the seed industry which can exploit the strengths that exist in these two sectors. While the public system has the competent scientific manpower and equipped for both basic strategic and applied researches, the private sector is lagging behind the vast modern infrastructure facilities and large manpower. However, the private sector has expertise in high tech research like the development of genetically modified crops and its seed production. The climatic conditions of Jharkhand state are ideally suited for quality seed production during rabi crops and could be a hot candidate for private sector to exploit the opportunities. Moreover, the easily availability of labour and proximity to West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Chhatisgarh advocate its candidature for quality seed production, processing, storage and marketing required for private sector to operate.
10. Conventional, GM crops and certified organic seed production: The development of genetically modified seeds has also affected the world seed
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand industry by providing strong incentives for both vertical integration (i.e. acquisition of seed companies by agro-business companies). Also the development of GM seeds has increased the value of the market through the premium for such varieties and the technology fees. Similarly, the practices of organic agriculture is being followed at global level and this practice is also adopted in several states of Indian union. The area under organic agriculture is increasing in India also. Therefore, keeping the trends in mind, Jharkhand should trap the opportunity.
seed production, would greatly enhance the prospects for large scale hybrid rice seed production in the state. 5.
The innovative molecular marker techniques for testing the genetic purity of hybrid seed need to be developed and adopted. More emphasis is to be given on seed health testing, quick seed viability testing, x-ray analysis, coated seed testing and GM seed testing etc.
6.
Production and supply of quality planting materials/seedlings/saplings of horticultural crops to cater the need of the state. Nevertheless, emphasis is also to be given on spices seed production suited to Jharkhand state.
7.
Since agriculture in Jharkhand is more or less traditional by virtue of lesser use of inorganic inputs (fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides etc.), there is possibility of organic agriculture in some selected areas. To attain this objective, the need would be to place emphasis on organic seed production.
8.
Safe seed storage is the critical aspect of seed production technology. More efforts are needed in studies on safe seed storage by using indigenous traditional knowledge, its refinement and improvement with cost effective measures at farmers' level.
9.
Emphasis on the cultivation of acid/salt/partial submergence/drought tolerant horticultural/ aromatic/crop/ varieties
Future Thrust 1.
2.
3.
4.
There is an urgent need to improve the productivity of hybrid rice released through public sectors which can be done by the improving the performance per se of the parental lines. Since seed has become commodity, its trade and f l o w at i nte r n at i o n a l l e ve l re q u i re s t h e harmonization of various international seed certification schemes (OECD, quality declared seed system of FAO, AOSCA) and seed testing procedures (ISTA, AOSA etc.). To increase seed trade, the effective management of intellectual property rights (UPOV, patents and other sui-generesis kind of PVPs) and sanitary and phytosanitary certificates in addition to management of trade barriers are of prime importance for the growth of seed industry. Since India have joined OECD seed schemes by becoming 56th OECD participating country in 2009, the similarity/differences between Indian Seed Certification System and OECD varietal certification system vis-Ă -vis seed testing standards and procedures need to be spelled to the stakeholders.
A. Fruit crops: Production and plantation of selective fruit plants suited to sodic soil e.g. anola, guava, ber, beal and karounda. Similarly, the plantation of salt tolerant plantation crop like coconut and tamarind etc. needs to be given more emphasis.
Improvement in quality of farmers saved seed and on farm seed management as >75% of the seed used for sowing is farm saved seed (FSS), therefore, more emphasis has to be placed for the improvement in the quality of this seed by proper processing, storage and seed treatment.
B. Aromatic Plant: Prospects of cultivation of aromatic crops on salt affected wastelands selection of suitable crops is of great economic impotence in exploiting sodic lands and put them to use under proper management. The experiments carried out at CIMAP research farm, Lucknow as well as Banthara r e s e a rc h s t a t i o n o f N B R I , L u c k n o w a n d demonstration trials on cultivation to some of the crops under wasteland development programs are Achramau farm of U.P. Bhumi Sudhar Nigam,
Seed production in alternative/new area and in the off season with special reference to hybrid rice and maize. Similarly, improvising/refining hybrid seed production techniques through continuous research and identification of suitable regions/seasons for
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand Lucknow confirm the prospects of cultivation of some of the aromatics crops on sodic lands. Palmorosa (Cymbopogon martini), Lemmon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) among aromatic grasses and also the German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) are the promising crops for cultivation on such soils.
? Water use efficient wheat variety HI 8638 ? Seed production of varieties suited to change
planting date to avoid heat stress wheat HD 2932, WR 544 and Pusa Gold to keep vegetable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; wheat cropping system intact.
Conclusion
10. Participatory seed production of abiotic stress tolerant crops/varieties: Agriculture is extremely sensitive to climate and weather and the resilience of our production systems to changes in climate is enhanced by understanding these impacts and their effects. As predicted South Asia (Indian subcontinent) will be hit particularly hard by climate change. Climate change affect all four dimensions of food security i.e. availability, access to food, stability of food supplies and food utilization. Crop production can be increased by use of quality seeds of climate resilient high yielding varieties, judicious use of fertilizers and water. Moreover, much greater emphasis needs to be placed in seed production of climate resilient crop/varieties by adjusting crop calendar.
? Plant breeding is a cumulative science, and seed accumulate all useful innovations achieved (Wright and Pardy, 2006). Seeds provide the major means of propagation by which genetic improvements made in crops by plant breeders are delivered to the farmer. It has been estimated that about 75% of the world's food supply comes from consumption of seeds from five crop species, four of which are cereals in the family Poaceae (Egli, 1998; Harlan, 1995). Arguably, the most important of all characteristics is yield. Studies in different crops over many years show that yield has increased from 1 to 3 per cent per year. At first sight, 1% may not seem much, but when added up over many years it is a significant contribution. Over the past 30 years, in irrigated wheat, a yield increase of about 1% year-1 has been achieved, which can be compared to an increase of around 100 kg ha-1 year-1 (Pingali and Rajaram, 1999). This yield increase is not restricted to industrialized countries: FAO data for all developing countries indicate that wheat yields rose by 208% from 1960 to 2000; rice yields rose 109%; maize yields rose 157%; potato yields rose 78%; and cassava yields rose 36%. For example, India's food grain production increased from 87 million tons in 1961 to more than 250 million tons in 2011-12 on an arable land base that has remained almost constant. This has helped to mitigate the limited potential extension in land use. The high quality seed of improved varieties of wheat and rice ushered green revolution in India. There are resourcepoor and resource-rich farmers in the world, but the number of the former far exceeds those of the latter. Since the use of farm saved seed in the country, is estimated to be in the range of 80% (Gupta et al. 2009). Quality seed of the improved cultivars can enhance productivity from 10 to 50%, however, main bottleneck is availability of improved seeds of legumes and rainfed cereals in remote areas.
A. Seed production of drought and/or heat tolerant crops- Finger millet, Pearl millet, Sourghum, Barley, Castor etc. presently, in Jharkhand only Finger millet is popular among tribal farmers of the state while the other crops mentioned above need to be introduced. B. Seed production and distribution of climate resilient varieties. ? Short duration chickpea cultivars (super-early ICC
96029, extra-early ICCV 2 and early maturing KAK 2) that can withstand high temperatures. Short duration chickpea cultivar Shwetha (ICCV 2) has revolutionized chickpea production in Andhra Pradesh. ? Short duration groundnut cultivar ICGV 91114
that escapes terminal drought. ? Mungbean variety Pusa Vishal ? Drought tolerant rice variety Sahbhagi and
It has been demonstrated that genetically pure seed alone increase productivity advantage of 20% over farmers saved seed with the use of quality/certified seed of
Submergence tolerant Swarna Sub-1 ? High temperature tolerant wheat variety Halna,
WR 544, HD 2824, NDW 1114.
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand improved varieties and better crop management practices the yield could be increased by 40-45%. High quality seeds are widely recognized by produces as one of the most cost-effective means of minimizing and/or managing risks and natural disasters. However, the Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) and Seed Multiplication Rate (SMR) revealed that for all major crops, the SRR is not at all close to the recommended. The low SRR implies that farmers use crop produce as a seed. In Jharkhand both kind of seed systems i.e. formal and informal/ traditional /farmer-managed seed supply/local seed supply system exist. Presently, approximately 75% of the seed used by farmers is farm saved seed (FSS). Therefore, much more emphasis needs to be placed to improve the quality of FSS to enhance productivity of major field crops. The formal seed system includes infrastructure built by public sector only in terms of varietal development, release, seed production, processing, storage, extension and marketing while the farmer-managed seed supply system deals with the small quantities of seed, semi structured and operates at community level and likely to depend on indigenous knowledge of plant and seed selection, its sourcing retaining and management along with local diffusion mechanisms.
achieving food and nutritional security; employment generation etc., thus providing social and economic stability to the region. Successful examples from any part of the globe, through minor modifications must be adopted. Seed industry must develop further and seed replacement rates improved. Instead of bringing in solutions from outside, local institutions need to be established that relies on the local ingenuity of regions' own entrepreneurs. This empowerment will bring about the ultimate change in societies that is sustainable (CGIAR-ISPC, 2010)
References CGIAR ISPC (2010) Product Stewardship and Liability in the Context of IPR: Report of a Study. Rome, Italy: ISPC Secretariat, May 2010, pp. 110. Egli DB (1998) Seed biology and the yield of grain crops. CAB International, Wallingford, 178. ETC Group (2008) Patenting the "Climate Genes"... And Capturing the Climate Agenda. Issues 99, May/June 2008, p. 30. FAO (2009) Seed security for food security in the light of climate change and soaring food prices: Challenges and opportunities, COAG/2009/Inf.7.
? Seeds are the heart of agriculture and its quality
improvement will have cascading positive effect for
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New Frontiers in Seed Sector in Jharkhand
Gupta HS, M Dadlani and KV Prabhu (2009) The seed that changed the face of Indian agriculture: Contributions of the public research institutions. Agriculture Year Book, pp. 88-91.
Lobell DB, MB Burke, C Tebaldi, MD Mastrandrea, WP Falcon and RL Naylor (2008) Prioritizing climate change adaptation needs for food security in 2030. Science, 319, 607â&#x20AC;&#x201C;610.
Halweil B (2005) The Irony of Climate. World Watch. Vision for a sustainable world. www.worldwatch.org.
Pingali PL and SR Rajaram (1999) World Wheat Facts and Trends, 1998/99. CIMMYT Institute, Mexico, DF. Source ISF: ISF website www.worldseed.org.
Harlan JR (1995) The Living Fields: Our Agricultural Heritage. Oxford Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK.
Wright BD and PG Pardey (2006) The evolving rights to intellectual property protection in the agricultural biosciences. Int. J. Technology and Globalisation, 2(1/2): 12-29.
Role of JNKVV in the Development of Seed Sector S.K. Rao and Dukhishyam Kar Business Planning Developmental Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Agriculture University, Jabalpur.
L
Tikamgarh, Umaria) in 6 agro-climatic zones spread over 25 districts of the State.
ocated in the heart of India, named after the architect of modern India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, a multicampus University, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV) was inaugurated by the then Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Smt. Indira Gandhi on October 2, 1964. At present, JNKVV encompasses four Agriculture Colleges (Jabalpur, Rewa, Tikamgarh, Ganjbasoda); one Agricultural Engineering College (Jabalpur); 4 Zonal Agricultural Research Stations (ZARS) (Jabalpur, Powarkheda, Tikamgarh, Chhindwara); 2 Regional Research Stations (Rewa, Sagar); 5 Agricultural Research Stations (ARS) (Dindori, Waraseoni, Garhakota, Sausar, Tendini) and 20 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) (Badgaon, Betul, Chhattarpur, Chhindwara, Damoh, Dindori, Harda, Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, Narsinghpur, Panna, Powarkheda, Rewa, Sagar, Seoni, Shahdol, Sidhi,
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JNKVV represents a well knit and action oriented network of research and education centers in agriculture and allied fields in the State. More than four decades of its existence, and developed a sound infrastructure and human resources which make it capable of addressing emerging technological challenges in agriculture. JNKVV has produced competent human resource for managing the activities of agriculture and allied sectors and also played a pivotal role in the growth and development of agriculture. Need based research and its dissemination to the peasantry have led to all round improvement in productivity of crops on sustainable basis. The importance of seed as the carrier of critical
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development characteristics of crop production has been recognized from the early days of agriculture. Hence, it is always necessary to launch a special drive to orient and strengthen the on going seed developmental programmes to enhance the availability of quality seed of improved varieties to the farmers. Investment on plant breeding research would be of little value for cultivation unless the planting material is pure at genetic level and posses desirable qualities like high germinability, physical purity, vigor, seed health, etc. Seeds of assured quality respond to fertilizers and other inputs. Realizing the significance and impact of quality seeds, the JNKVV, launched the production of breeder seed along with maintenance of varieties.
Administrative Officer (Farms) and other associated staff of Directorate. The programmes are very well organized to meet the expectations of Seed Industry in the country.
Growth Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV) is the premier institution for seed production and distribution in the country. It caters around 18% of breeder seed requirement of the Nation. The University has developed an expertise in production, processing and management of seeds of cereals, pulses, oil seed crops, fodder crops, vegetables, spices, sugarcane, medicinal &aromatic plants within the well conceived and unique framework` of single window system of operation.
Genesis
The important features of the seed production programme are Maintenance breeding based production, effective internal monitoring system, in house strong quality assurance mechanisms and diversification of nucleus/breeder seed production programme with a view to meet the growing demand of quality seed of vegetables, spices, sugarcane, medicinal & aromatic plants have added new dimensions. The University has also initiated need-based training programmes and trained more than 700 senior seed professionals from State Agricultural Universities (SAU), State Department of Agriculture, State Seed Corporations, State Seed Certification Agencies, National and Multi-national Seed Companies to update knowledge on seed technology, seed certification standards and covering all important and relevant aspects of seed production, processing and storage etc.
Looking to the necessity and importance of quality seed and planting materials JNKVV established Directorate of Farms during the year 1987 headed by Director to utilize the Research on-farm resources to produce quality planting material of improved varieties developed at JNKVV as well as of the recommended National varieties suitable for Madhya Pradesh. This directorate is responsible for farm planning, production, marketing and quality assurance of seeds/saplings through effective coordination of State/National seed developmental agencies and by developing organizational-operational frame work with dedicated team of plant breeders, Seed technologists, Seed production experts, agronomists and
Single Window System The execution of system envisages planning, production, monitoring, processing, marketing and supply of seeds to the indenters from a single window. It is being operated through Director Farms of the University. The system has been effective for the successful implementation of seed production programme. The Nodal Centre for the programme is under operation at Jabalpur with three satellite centers viz., Rewa, Tikamgarh and
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development Powarkheda located at Zonal Agricultural Research Stations.
Maintenance Breeding The task of maintenance breeding is to counteract these changes, to which every plant variety is subjected if there is no control of its multiplication. Maintenance breeding
Seed Technology Centre of JNKVV
Achievements JNKVV has released more than 230 varieties out of these 62 varieties of various crops were released since 2000 through Central Variety Release Committee and State Variety Release Committees. JNKVV has maintained first rank in producing breeder seed since inception of breeder seed production since 1980.
Seed Breeding Centre of JNKVV should be the primary responsibility of the originating breeder, who is most familiar with the variety's characteristics, or of another breeder who has been familiarized and acquainted in detail with the development work of the varieties/hybrids. These criteria may not be suitable to our condition where the public sector play a predominant role in the crop improvement programmes as well as shifting of breeder from time to time with different assignments. Dr. Laxman Singh laid the foundation for maintenance breeding quality seed production and established Nucleus seed production unit during 1975 at JNKVV, Jabalpur before the inception of National Seed Project in the country to fulfill the requirement of quality seed of improved varieties of pulses in M.P. Later on other crop varieties were added to the programme. A large number of crop varieties are being maintained as given below:
Fig. 1 Breader Seed Production at JNKVV Major crops are soybean and paddy in kharif season while wheat, pea and chickpea during rabi season. These seeds are sold to National Seeds Corporation (NSC), States Farms Corporation of India (SFCI), Hindustan Insecticides Limited IHIL), Krishasak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBCO), Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd. (IFFCO) Department of Farmers Welfare & Agriculture Development, Govt. of MP, Farmers Seed Cooperatives Societies, Progressive Seed Growers and Farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan who are multiplying and are distributing the seed to the farmers resulting enhanced
Table 1 : Maintenance of Varities CROPS
NUMBER
VARIETIES
Field Crops
23
178
Vegetable Crops
15
33
Spices
12
29
Fruit Plants
5
15
Medicinal & Aromatics
9
25
Flowering Plants
15
40
TOTAL
79
321
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development production as well as strengthening food security system in India by enhancing Seed replacement rate through availability of improved varieties certified seeds to the farmers. This has been one of the model agriculture production systems through promotion and commercialization of improved varieties/hybrids for employment generation and increasing livelihood security of farmers at reach areas etc.
Pradesh accounted for only 25 of total seed requirement. The unorganized, farmer saved seed is being sown in 75% of area was not being addressed by agriculture policies in the state. The farmers have well recognized the fact that the quality seed of local seed supply consists of farmers' selection, on farm production and local diffusion. Another advantage is that the local seed supply systems can have horizontal diffusion and this is more sustainable for agriculture production in Madhya Pradesh. This system facilitates to supply seed of optimum quality at a right time at an acceptable price with an assured supply of required quantities.
Marketing Strategy and Information Systems Seed is being made available to the indenters as per demand/indents. Quantity of seed available of all the crops, varieties and categories for sale is placed in the University Web site http://www.jnkvv.nic.in alongwith name of center where seed is available, price list, contact phone numbers etc. This information is made available to all the concerned. The seed purchaser can demand through FAX or e mail which is confirmed immediately along with the name of centre and total amount to be paid at the lifting centre and cut of date for lifting etc. The information about cut off date etc. Jawahar seeds available is being also made available at Agricultural Technological Information Center, JNKVV, Jabalpur (ATIC). The availability of seed is notified through local new papers, cable TV, State Department of Agriculture as well as through email to the local administrators.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF SEED FARMERS'COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN MADHYA PRADESH DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE
SEED
ALLOCATION OF BREEDER SEED AS PER GUIDELINES DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFIED SEED
REGISTRATION
FARMERS'
JNKVV SUPPLY OF BREEDERS SEED MONITORING, TRAINING AND CONSULTATIVE SERVICES
REGISTRAR OF THE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
CO OPERATIVE
QUALITY CONTROL
ONE TIME GRANT FOR ESTABLISHMENT
SOCIETIES
MANDI BOARD
MPSSCA
Fig. 2 Organisational Structure of SFCS Linking of BPD with Certified Seed Supply Systems
Breeder Seed
Capacity Building
MP Seed
Certified Seed
DPIP MPRLP
The seed science as well as seed industry had progressed and developed technologies especially in seed quality management. Therefore, availability of quality seed to the farmers at the right time, right place and at affordable price, there is need for knowledgeable technology management for the seed production, processing, conditioning and safe storage and marketing as well as effective regulatory management would be the key issues of the training programme. It has been realized training was immense importance to all the Scientists, Seed Entrepreneurs, Seed growers and Quality Seed Production and Marketing Managers involved in seed systems.
Certified Seed
Deptt of Farmers Welfare & Agriculture Development
1200 Farmers Seed Cooperative Societies
Breeder Seed BPD - JNKVV Farmers
Fig. 3 Certified Seed Supply System Informal seed sector has been developed, which could be accomplished by enabling individual farmers or village level farmers seed cooperatives to produce, process of improved seed on their own fields. Linking of the crop improvement programmes with the potential seed growers so that the farmers benefited out of of improved varieties in a shorter period of time. Hence, farmers seed cooperatives have been established on regional basis in a cooperative sector in Madhya Pradesh.
Role of Seed Cooperative Societies in Seed Systems All the seed supply systems put together in Madhya
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Breeder Seed
MP State Seed Federation & Marketing Ltd.
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development At present more than 1200 seed cooperatives are in operation under the umbrella of State Federation of Seed Cooperatives. To implement the programme all the staff of MPSSCA were trained as Master Trainers to train the seed farmers from time to time and build up a large number of seed farmers communities, which in turn may provide greate strength to support seed developmental programmes and self reliance in local seed supply systems in the central India.
of trade to get more profits with minimum risk. In this type of seed producer's company model, the knowledge management systems works better for realizing of the benefits of new innovations as well as improved technologies for the agriculture development. Seed Cooperatives should be village based farmers as well as from adjoining villages. Obtained Breeder seed of improved varieties from public sector institutions and multiply it on their farms, supply of improved seed to other members along with details of production technology. Since they do not use audio/print media for dissemination of information to their members, rural NGO's or farmer's seed cooperative. Farmer's cooperatives to educate the farmers in the project operational areas about new varieties available and in some cases try to obtain good quality seed for distribution. The credibility of these organizations with the farmers is much better compared to the public sector organizations and Department of Agriculture as a result; the farmers readily act on their advice. Hence, impact of Technology Transfer through knowledge management was of very high magnitude by producing and marketing the quality seeds to its farmers of adjoining areas. A relative comparison governance and performance of Farmers Seed Societies revealed that the societies registered under Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies (MACS) were better in terms of working and delivering the knowledge. Seed cooperatives had played a significant role in the increased seed replacement rates in Madhya Pradesh as well as enhanced crop productivity. Several seed systems have been promoted with the Seed Producer through seed production of Agriculture crops in M.P.
Table2 : Seed Production by MP State Seed Federation
Year 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Foundation
Certified Quintals
Total
86,555 1,61,321 2,38,751 2,43,107 28,3811
3,66,130 4,25,438 5,69,948 7,27,596 9,06,511
4,52,685 5,86,743 6,89,201 9.70,703 11,90,322
Knowledge management programmes through capacity building of Presidents and Secretaries Service providers were mainly focused for the development of goals, objectives as well as governance of society in terms of development of vision, choice of products of multiplication, production planning, processing and marketing, inter institutional linkages as well as seed production societies to increase the availability of certified seed at reasonable cost to the farmers. This has resulted in increased seed replacement rates in the low productivity area due to transfer of technologies ultimately reflected in enhanced productivity of major crops like paddy, pigeonpea, wheat, chickpea, mustard, etc. Now the farmers of Rewa Division of Madhya Pradesh were acquainted with the improved varieties as well as improved crop production technologies suitable for cultivation resulted in two to three times increased productivity of rice, wheat, chickpea, in vindhya region of M.P. This has improved the livelihood security of farmers. In this mechanism of knowledge management, the transfers of technologies were spread very fast as compared to the conventional system of front line/first line demonstrations. In the societies, all the farmers grow a market demanded common variety with common package of production technologies resulted in uniform product available to the seed markets and dictate terms
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Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Participatory Seed Production Quality seed at the door step is the basic requirements of the farmers, to make available quality seed at village level and to encourage farmers participation in seed production for self reliance in seed, JNKVV has initiated an ambitious programme of farmers participatory seed production at village level to make farmers self reliant with respect to quality seed requirement and also increase their income by selling of quality seeds. Surplus Breeder seed produced at JNKVV farms was distributed to the farmers to produce their own seed and reduce their
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development dependency on the market. Every year about more than two thousand farmers involved in the production of quality seed under this programme.
marketing and venturing into organizing themselves and availing new opportunities in the seed systems are benefited. Increased emphasis on farmer-led or demanddriven development processes, group approach is inevitable for enabling farmers to have a voice and increase their influence. Farmers often do benefit from participating seed development projects such as model seed system, seed village system, rice fallow chickpea seed system, quality seed production systems in tribal areas through gaining access to trainings, information, resources and further forward and back ward linkages.
Seed Extension Activities Technology transfer organizations with extensive scientific expertise and in-depth knowledge of the production/distribution systems of potential end-users are likely to readily identify opportunities. Cooperatives and producer associations tend to create forums where technical needs are more readily identified communicated and empowered. Seed Organizations with wellestablished technology transfer traditions and infrastructure (e.g. seed extension systems) are better suited for active delivery. Farming communities do organize themselves especially when they belong to small scale categories and pursuing agro-ecological approaches. It could a learning opportunity, inspired by a small success of working together to organize themselves for collective bargaining. Knowledge empowerment itself has been identified as the major limiting factor in farming communities in Madhya Pradesh. The role farming communities in the technology based knowledge dissemination activities in recent years is encouraging in M.P. Farmers seed cooperatives are realizing better price for their high quality seeds through organizing themselves into collective approaches in production, harvesting and
The public investment in crop improvement programmes is gradually decreasing in India as well as at global level in terms of developments of human resources as well as in product development. Due to this fact the ultimate impact of public plant breeding has not been translated to the general public in terms of enhanced productivity through decreased input with the increased factor productivity in the Indian farming systems. Inspite of these problems, the crop improvement programmes in India has a tremendous impact in enhancing crop productivity. The crop improvement programmes are the main stream of science with the immediate impact through quality seeds and management of knowledge based technologies. The excellence in science and to achieve this a lot of investment in these areas for teaching, research seed extension as well as knowledge management support systems are required. As on today the role of public sector crop improvement programmes are decreasing as compared to private plant breeding programmes due to huge focused investments supported by seed extension and knowledge management system in disseminating the improved technologies e.g. Bt. Cotton and hybrid rice in the rural areas. Another example is the contribution of improved super variety of Chickpea JG 11 in southern zone i.e.. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in Chickpea Production. Almost all over the world, in the initial stages, the role of the public sector research institutions or public-
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development funded research programmes played a major role in generating technologies for commercial application. However in the recent decades, the part played by the private industry in generation of technology for production and products has been very significant and is increasing. The country has established a very large research network working under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the State Agricultural Universities. The policy contemplated that the parental material should also become available for multiplication within the country leading to production of hybrids on an adequate scale to cater to the demands. The parental lines of public sector hybrids(7), pigeonpea (2), rice (3) and castor (2) are being maintained at JNKVV, Jabalpur.
maize, pigeonpea, can be successful produced during rabi and kharif respectively in MP. Castor hybrid seed production is possible during rabi with high level of genetic purity and at times it will change the grey rainfed areas to green belt. Compiled information on certified hybrid seed production in Andhra Pradesh, a major seed producing state, clearly reveals the excessive demand of hybrid seeds of sorghum, maize, pearlmillet and cotton. Madhya Pradesh has yet to achieve targets in case of hybrid rice, maize, pigeonpea and castor. The awareness of newly developed materials is only up to small extent the requires an aggressive approach for popularization. On the other hand, the private sector mainly markets the hybrid seeds. Licensing of parental lines for production of hybrid seeds will be better option to increase the availability of hybrid seed and this is being done in case of rice JRH 5 and JRH 8 by JNKVV.
Hybrid Seed Production and Popularization: Issues and Strategies A choice between an inbred variety or hybrid for any particular situation is governed by the properties of the material developed for the particular situation in conjunction with availability of its seed at the right time. The success of hybrids, viz., early rice hybrids JRH-5, JRH8, castor, maize and pigeonpea all over the state bestowed the required confidence to farmers for opting hybrids against pure line varieties.
Seed Requirements for Meeting Production Targets Availability of quality seed of the required hybrid at the right time would remain a critical factor in achieving the targets. Therefore it is imperative to focus on the following general issues related to seed production and supply along with the desired strategies for overcoming difficulties before addressing the issues specific to hybrid seed production and popularization.
A special drive has been initiated by JNKVV to promote public sector hybrids of Rice, Maize, Pigeonpea and castor. Under this programme strong maintenance breeding programme was developed to maintain the genetic purity of parental lines of these hybrids and make it available to users. Diversified nucleus/breeder seed production systems of parental lines were developed at Jabalpur and Chhindwara. It is necessary to build up the confidence of the farmers in hybrid technology, by way of continuous efforts on hybrid research in promising crops in conjunction with wellplanned efforts for hybrid seed production and popularization. It is realized that with conscious breeding efforts hybrid technology can profitably be exploited in stress environments in Madhya Pradesh. JNKVV has standardized the technologies for large scale production of hybrid rice in Balaghat, Seoni during Rabi. Hybrid
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1.
Need for significant increase in seed production and supply.
2.
Establishing a database for seed production and supply.
3.
Advance planning and working on a rolling plan concept.
4.
Development of hybrid seed development plan
5.
Involving more agencies i.e. M P State Seed Corporation in seed production system by encouraging potential organizations on a localized basis, like farmer seed cooperatives DPIP and voluntary organizations in M.P. It can greatly augment the certified/quality seed production activity. Identification of promising village
JNKVV & Seed Sector Development
panchayats for this activity is worth examining in the light of experience gained from the seed village concept implemented in the initial period of organized seed production in the country.
private seed sector. A comprehensive seed atlas has been developed for the MP with potential areas for seed production in off-season for maize, rice and Kharif season for pigeonpea, and castor.
Alternative Areas for Hybrid Seed Production
Popularization of Public Sector Materials
A sizeable portion of seed production activity is confined to the southern states i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. This is certainly not a desirable situation in a long term perspective planning for MP. Outbreak of any diseases or pests in these areas can give a severe jolt to production activity of this critical resource.
It is unfortunate that very little time and effort had been devoted for popularization of hybrids released from the public sector. Certainly, it is an undesirable situation as public sector hybrids have evolved through reasonably well planned efforts of institutions and research stations spread all over the state and released through a worldwide-acknowledged system of multi-location coordinated testing. Hybrids varieties released from the public system still occupy the dominant share in India's agricultural production but it takes an awfully long period of 7-10 years before the newly released materials become available to farmers. The larger gap between average crop productivity at the state or national level and realizable potential can be reduced only through efforts in popularization of newly developed hybrids from JNKVV as well as AICRP programmes. In this endeavor, the Madhya Pradesh must develop a system where seed of newly released hybrids in the very first year of release could be distributed in small packets up to village panchayat level to bring much needed awareness in short time.
After having extensive research experimentation on suitability of different areas for hybrid seed production, it has been established that Madhya Pradesh is the most suitable for hybrid seed production of maize (20-25qtl/ha) pigeonpea (15 to 20 qtl/ha), Rice (10-15 qtl/ha) hybrid seed recovery. This has been a remarkable achievement of JNKVV hybrid seed research promotion. Hybrid paddy seeds can be produced in low rain fall area of Vindhya and Mahakosal region of Madhya Pradesh during kharif season. Table 3: Alternate areas for Hybrid Seed Production Crop
Season Area
Maize
Rabi
Rice & Wheat Rabi
Kymore plateau, Satpura hills, Vindhya plateau and Mahakaushal region of Madhya Pradesh
Requirement of Skilled Manpower
Balaghat, Seoni
Kharif
Jabalpur, Rewa
Pigeonpea
Kharif
Malwa, Kymore plateau, Satpura hill, Vindya plateau
Castor
Rabi
Kaymore plateau, Satpura hill
Planning for skilled manpower and developing a system for refresher courses at regular intervals is a critical issue to be tackled. In case of hybrid seed production, the skill requirement is obviously much higher. Planning and system for meeting the training requirements should, therefore, be immediately focused. Simultaneously, a study for examining the educational qualifications and experience of involved personnel is desirable. Ad-hocism in this critical area rather than having a long term perspective seed development planning has been an important reason for non-achievement of targeted production level of certified/quality seed.
Dry climatic regions of Madhya Pradesh with irrigation potential of Balaghat, Seoni would be far more rewarding for hybrid seed production of rice during Rabi. This issue needs has been examined by a group of experienced persons of JNKVV involved in seed research and production along with enterprising people from the
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development initiatives encouraging hybrid seed production and popularization. State governments are creating availing environments for promoting hybrid technologies. Healthily competition between private and public sector could be rewarding. Issues of subsidy and incentive pricing for hybrid seeds are worth examining in view of anticipated benefits to the private sector as well.
Advantage of Hybrid Culture A worldwide explosion of private sector efforts in agricultural research would mostly bring hybrids in both conventionally hybrid and non-hybrid crops. In MP the upcoming private sector coupled with increased efforts in large public sector research and development of infrastructure at JNKVV, RVSKVV may bring miracles, but further improvements in the system of governmental support and encouragement with farmers' interest uppermost in any policy initiatives are necessary. A vertical expansion in production through encouragement of hybrid research and development would thus be possible provided the government's overall seed research, production and supply management systems are appropriately tailored for the required modifications to give signal to all concerned. It is, therefore, essential that issues and strategies pertaining specifically to hybrid seed production and popularization be highlighted.
Gearing Up Seed Technology Research Seed technology research is still in infancy in India. Ideally, any research product should release a complete technology package, with of details meeting the expected specific/diverse requirements. For example, release of hybrids without package for agronomy of parental lines and economics of seed production would bring serious obstacles in popularization efforts. Preparation of technology capsules is an enormous task as it varies depending on regions, seasons and situations and thus should not be left as the sole responsibility of public sector research system alone. Seed producing agencies should come forward and play equal role in seed technology research in important areas like agronomy for hybrid seed production, quick genetic purity tests including biochemical/molecular approaches, seed treatment, storage, processing, packaging etc. breeding need immediate streamlining, with fixation of specific responsibility for each task. Collaborative programme with CIMMYT for Maize and with ICRISAT for pigeonpea can play for effective use of germplasm for development of hybrids suitable for Madhya Pradesh.
Vision for Future The responsibility to develop hybrids suitable for different ecosystems and less profitable crops is owned by public sector, as the private sector is not ready to spend in research with high gestation period and low/unassured immediate returns. Vision is required to share responsibilities between private and public sectors, as in future public sector alone may not be able to face this challenge. At the same time, the relevance of public sector and upcoming private sector requires continued working in crops/situations of interest of private sector as well. Desirable results require joint efforts with policy support to state federation of seed cooperatives.
Seed Systems Linkages So far a comprehensive integrated seed supply system has not been developed till date. Research extension linkages, on farm research coupled with academic orientation of research departments should be consideration priority. The state seed committee should be able to integrate seed supply systems at policy level. This committee will prepare seed policies supervise the formal seed supply systems and develop linkages of research, seed production and seed extension activities. It could also promote and monitor seed supply in an integrated manner, which includes public private NGO's, farmer's seed cooperative producers companies etc.
Policy Support for Hybrid Seeds At national as well as State level, public sector seed corporations have not made any significant impact in the field of hybrid seed production. This being a skill requiring procedure compared to inbred varieties, requires sensitization of these corporations, through planned efforts in human resource development besides policy
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development companies had taken license for JRH- 5 and JRH-8. Other companies are also in the process of taking decision on licensing of these hybrid and other varieties. Besides this, an comprehensive and viable guidelines for joint research is being developed by the university.
Role of Business Planning and Development Unit in Transferring Seed Technologies Business Planning and Development (BPD) Unit is being established at JNKVV under the aegis of National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP) to accelerate the transfer of agro technologies through commercialization and entrepreneurship development. Objectives of BPD Unit are:
Start up and Cooperative Members It is emphasized earlier the importance of local level seed companies in small scale and cooperative sectors. These entities mainly deal in certified seeds of public varieties of soybean, rice, wheat, pulses, etc to market to their members and supply through Govt. department. BPD had been providing not only breeder seeds, but other business incubation services to these cooperatives and start-up companies in seed business. These business incubation services are:
? Promotion of market responsive products and
technologies through effective entrepreneurship development. ? Promotion of public private partnership for
commercialization of seed technologies. ? Human Resource Development for entrepreneurship
? Preparation of business plan and project reports for
promotion.
the entrepreneurs Considering the strength in seeds research and development, it was imperative to focus on seed sector for the BPD unit. Starting from 2009, BPD unit had taken concerted initiatives in commercializing the technologies developed in the university.
? Capacity Building of the members and employees of
the entrepreneurs and cooperative societies. ? Facilitation of quality control of seed production as
well as seed testing for specific parameters. ? Providing custom processing and storage facilities to
JNKVV Seed Consortium
the entrepreneurs ? Regular handholding services for establishment of the
business
Consortium for Seed Business is established in JNKVV for promotion of hybrids and other protected research varieties. A consortium membership fee of Rs. 100,000 only is required to be paid for a period of 5 years. Member companies have access to parent materials of JNKVV released hybrid cultivars on non exclusive basis on payment of fees fixed for each variety/hybrid.
? Networking services for production and marketing
purpose Thirteen seed cooperatives and small scale seed companies have been registered as members of the BPD unit to avail the technology and business support services. Seed business services i.e. consultancy as well as breeder seed supply would be provided to these companies. All these companies had been supplied with breeder seeds of improved varieties of soybean, wheat, rice and other important crops. These companies are in regular interaction with BPD for technology and business related seminars. They had benefitted from networking among themselves in production and marketing of certified seeds in Madhya Pradesh.
Already fourteen seed companies and organizations have been enrolled as members of the seed consortium. Four Table 4: Public Private Partnerships Sl. No
Company Name
Hybrids Licnesed
1
Vibha Agrotech Limited
"JRH-5, JRH-8"
2
Dantewada Seeds Pvt. Ltd
JRH-5
3
Trimurti Plant Sciences Ltd.
JRH-5
4
Ajeet Seeds
JRH-5
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
More than 1200 farmers' seed cooperative societies have been established in Madhya Pradesh. JNKVV is having
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development prime role in promotion of business of these cooperative societies. BPD unit is providing the capacity building for governance and seed production, business plan development and facilitating breeder seed supply to cooperative societies. Besides this BPD Unit had facilitated formation of 'Jabalpur Agri Producer Company Ltd.', which is a federation of ten seed farmers' cooperative societies. Overall management of the company is performed by a CEO. JAPCL is being provided business incubation services and space in BPD premises of JNKVV. Notably BPD unit had facilitated business collaboration of JAPCL with Hindustan Insecticides Ltd. (HIL), Bayer Crop Science and Borlough Institute for South East Asia. Seed Business plan has been developed for kharif 2013 and long term business plan is being developed for five years.
Global Agribusiness Incubation Conference - 2011
Awareness Campaign About the Technologies It is imperative to make the stakeholders in seed business aware about the technologies of the university. To create awareness, BPD unit is making sincere efforts in communicating and demonstrating the key characteristics of its technologies through participating in exhibitions, conferences and field days. During last two years, technologies of the university were displayed in the ICAR Industry meets, global agribusiness incubation conferences and state level exhibitions. BPD
ICAR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Industry Meet - 2010
Global Investors Meet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Khajuraho 2010
National Seed Congress - 2011
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development staff had also participated in national level conferences where, key seed industry professionals were communicated about the technologies available and procedures thereof. In all these events encouraging leads were developed for potential business collaboration.
Human Resource Development Business Planning and Development had taken important steps to train entrepreneurs in seed business management for 19 Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of the seed producing organization. The trainings were imparted by the distinguished faculty of the university and seed industry. Practical exposure was also given to the participants by organizing field visits and seed processing plants. JNKVV is the only Agriculture University in the country offering the short term course on seed business management for start-up entrepreneurs to develop theirseed business.
Field days in Kharif for rice and in rabi for wheat and chick pea are being organized every year to showcase the varieties and hybrids of JNKVV put in trials in the research farm. Last two years tremendous interest was shown from companies both in Khairf and Rabi seasons. Representatives were also taken to farmers field where hybrid rice of JNKVV was grown. Besides Company representatives, officials from Govt. had also attended to spell out their initiatives and support extended. More than thirty five seed companies from private, cooperative and public sector had attended to observe the showcase of hybrid rice in kharif whereas, more than thirty companies attended for showcase of wheat and chick pea.
Consultancy Assignments Business Planning and Development Unit had associated with Agribusiness Incubator, ICRISAT in data collection and preparation of Detailed Project Reports for five farmers' producers companies in Madhya Pradesh. Recently BPD unit had completed preparation of business plan, Organizational framework and DPR for seed processing plants for Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Seed Producer and Marketing Federation Ltd. Bhopal. Seed business developmental plans are being prepared to several producer companies involved in the seed sector development in Madhya Pradesh.
Impact Showcase of rice hybrids in JNKVV farm
The main shareholders for transfer of technology relating to improved varieties and seed in the private sector are the Farmers' Cooperative, National and Multinational seed companies. The Farmer's Cooperatives may be successful in this sector. These Cooperatives should be village based or include farmers from adjoining villages. They will obtain basic seed of improved varieties from public sector institutions and multiply it on their farms. They will then supply improved seed to other members along with details of production technology for their specific agro-ecological conditions. Since they do not use audio/print media for dissemination or information to their members, rural NGO's or farmers cooperatives educate farmers in the project operational areas about
Showcase of wheat varieties
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JNKVV & Seed Sector Development
new varieties available and in some cases try to obtain good quality seed for distribution. The credibility of these organizations with the farmers is much better compared to the public sector organizations and Department of
Agriculture as a result the farmers readily act on their advice. Hence, impact of technology transfer will be of very high magnitude by producing and marketing the quality seeds to its farmers of adjoining areas. This leads to high seed replacement rates in Madhya Pradesh.
Fig. 4 Kharif SRR
Fig. 5 Rabi SRR
Conclusion It could be concluded that linking the crop improvement programmes with the maintenance breeding, seed production and supply knowledge management systems to promote the seed extension support systems paid dividends in the state. Apart from this there was a scope for ensuring livelihood security of marginal/small /tribal farmers reaching in the outreach areas and this may bring another green revaluation in India. Farmers in outreach areas still save their own seeds or obtain them through the local seed system. Farmers will purchase seeds if they are convinced of their quality and satisfied with the returns they generates and share their positive knowledge experiences with their neighbours.
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Price Controls and Biotechnology Innovation: Are State Government Policies Reducing Research and Innovation by the Ag Biotech Industry in India?
- Carl E. Pray and Latha Nagarajan Rutgers University, USA
I
hybrid seed and Bt cotton. The profits of cotton biotech and seed firms also grew rapidly, especially after the approval of Bt cotton in 2002. The high profits of biotech and seed firms from 2002 to 2005 were a major incentive for many firms to increase their investments in R&D. The implementation of price controls in 2006 was followed by an immediate, large decline in the profits of seed and biotech firms. So far, this decline did not lead to an obvious decline in either research or innovation, but economic theory, the experience of China, and interviews with private firms in India suggest that continued price controls could negatively impact research and innovation in India in the future.
n 2006, the governments of major cotton-producing states in India ordered all seed companies to lower their prices of Bt cotton seed to Rs. 750 per packet of seed, down from Rs. 1,600 per packet. Although biotech firms challenged these price controls at the Supreme-Court level, the controls are still in effect. It is obvious that farmers will benefit from these price reductions in the short run. An important question for farmers and policy makers, however, is whether these price controls are having a chilling effect on biotech research and innovation in India, which could harm farmers in the long run. Cotton research and innovation by private firms grew rapidly with the spread of
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Indian farmers, seed companies, and bio-tech companies. The next section looks at the impacts of the price policies on research and innovation by biotech and seed firms. The final section brings together the lessons from India and suggests that in the medium and long term, the price controls could reduce farmers' ability to get access to some important new technology.
Introduction Some state governments in India drastically reduced Bt cotton seed prices and royalties for innovators by imposing price controls on genetically modified (GM) cotton seed starting in 2006. In the short run, this benefits farmers by reducing the price of their seed. It may also benefit some seed companies that are not conducting research to develop new biotech traits because their sales of hybrid cotton seed could increase due to low prices, while their royalty payments to the providers of the GM trait may decline. There is a potential problem, however. In the long run, biotech companies may reduce their investments in research to develop or import new plant technology for India because of lower-than-expected or uncertain revenues from innovation. If this happens, fanners stand to be the losers because they will not get access to improved hybrids and genes developed by private firms.
Economics of Research and Innovation in India Pray and Fuglie (2001), in their paper on the growth of R&D by private seed firms in India, used an induced innovation framework in which the major factors determining the levels of R&D were expected demand for new technology, the ability of firms to appropriate the benefits from R&D, the technological opportunities—a combination of the expected costs of research and innovation and their assessment of the probability of successful innovation—and government policies. The most important factor in the growth of private seed industry R&D between 1987 and 1995 was seed industry liberalization—reforms in industrial policy, which allowed large Indian companies and multinational corporations to enter the seed industry. A second factor was the ability of firms to capture some of the value of their innovations by selling new cultivars that were hybrids. Farmers cannot multiply the seeds of hybrids themselves, and hybrids are not easy for other seed companies to copy. This allows companies to sell these seeds at higher prices than the seeds of conventional varieties and to increase profits despite having covered the extra costs of research and innovation. The commercial seeds of all of the major crops for which seed firms were developing new cultivars in India were hybrids—maize, sorghum, pearl millets, and cotton, and in recent years, hybrid rice and hybrid mustard had greatly increased investments in those crops. The third major factor in the growth of Indian industry R&D was liberalization of the rules on who could participate in the seed industry. Before 1986, the seed industry was reserved for small Indian firms. After new regulations and laws came into effect in 1986 and 1988, large Indian firms and foreign firms were allowed into the seed industry. Ramaswami, Pray, and Kelley (2001) found that about one third of the R&D in 1995 could be accounted for by research by large Indian firms and foreign-owned firms. The authors also noted that growing demand for hybrid seed was another factor leading to more research and that some firms were increasing R&D due to new technological opportunities from biotechnology and from research by the Indian and State governments, as well as international centers such as International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Maize and Wheat
This article reviews the recent history of research and innovation in the seed/biotech industry in India to see if there is evidence that price controls are reducing research and development (R&D) and innovation by this industry. First, the article presents a brief review of the literature on the role of price controls and other factors that influence the amount of research in biology based industries. This is followed by a brief history of the growth of biotech and conventional cotton research, which was influenced by the success of hybrid and Bt cotton and other factors since the mid-1990s in India. The following section describes the imposition of seed price controls. Then, the article examines the available evidence of the impact of price controls on seed sales and profits of
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
95
100 75
80
Based on economic theory and the empirical results from case studies of agribusiness R&D in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and China, Pray and Fuglie (2001) argue that increases in appropriability through technical means such as hybrids, legal means such as intellectual property rights, or through other industrial policies that grant temporary monopolies increase companies' investments in R&D, while reduced appropriability reduces R&D ceteris paribus.
56
60
46 33
40 24 20 0
1996/97 1998/99 2000/01 2002/03 2004/05 2009/10
The incentives for firms to do researchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even with hybrids or intellectual property rights (IPRs)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;are reduced if governments keep the prices that the firms can charge for their innovations at low levels. While the economic theory clearly shows that the incentive to perform research would decline, there are few empirical studies on the impact of price controls. In the pharmaceutical sector, one study by Vernon (2005) estimated that price regulation in the United States would decrease the industry R&D intensity (R&D expenditures divided by sales) substantially. Another study by Giaccotto, San-terre, and Vernon (2005) found that drug price control would result in fewer introductions of new drugs. In a study of the 28 largest pharmaceutical markets from 1980 to 2000 using an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) dataset, Kyle (2003) found that price regulation leads to delays in new-product launches.
Figure 1. Proprietary cotton hybrids market share (%). Source: Francis-Kanoi Agri-Inputs Marketing Research (2010) Note: Bt cotton was introduced in the 2002 season. biotechnology. If the government fixes the seed price and trait value at a low arbitrary level (as happened to Bt cotton in India), farmers' benefits might further increase in the short run, but company revenues shrink and so does the incentive to invest in the development of new technologies. Sadashivappa and Qaim (2009) conducted a study on fanners' willingness to pay (WTP) for Bt cotton seed in India and argued that farmers in that country were willing to pay high prices for high-quality seed with the Bt trait. In their opinion, continued price controls on Bt cotton seed would impact firms' incentive to invest more towards future R&D in India. In the case of Bt cotton in Argentina, however, where Bt cotton seed was priced at the same levels as in the United States, Qaim and de Janvry (2003) used the same research methods and found that seed had been priced too high and that both farmers and the seed companies would have had higher profits from lower prices. They did not speculate on how lower prices would have affected research.
In the field of agriculture, studies of price control and its impact on private firms' R&D investments and future benefits are limited. Lence, Hayes, McCunn, Smith, and Niebur (2005) provide a theoretical framework for analyzing the effect of price controls on agricultural
Economic theory and this brief review of the literature suggests that the profitability of the early years of Bt cotton sales would increase R&D until the price controls were imposed, after which R&D on cotton should decline.
Growth of R&D and Innovation in Cotton from the 1990s to 2010 Agricultural research using the tools of the new biotechnology has been conducted extensively by the public sector in India since the 1980s. Public-sector biotechnology research and higher-education programs on biotechnology provided the foundation for private seed and biotech research at the beginning of the 21st Century. However, no successful biotech innovations were available to Indian farmers until the success of Bt cotton in 2000. Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre 12
and Bt cotton became a commercial success starting in 2002. Figure 1 shows that proprietary hybrids were only 24% of cotton seed sales in 1996/97 but had increased to 56% of the market by 2002/03 when the first Bt cotton seeds were introduced. All the Bt cotton seed that is sold in India is hybrid cotton seed. As a result, when Bt cotton became popular, the share of proprietary hybrids increased further to take over 95% of the market 2009/10 (Figure 1).
10 8 6 4 2 2009 10
2008 09
2007 08
2006 07
2005 06
2004 05
2003 04
2002 03
0
The approval of Bt cotton in 2002 further increased the profits both to the providers of hybrids and the owners of the Bt gene. The first Bt hybrids combined the Bt gene from Monsanto with hybrid cotton cultivars from Mahyco. The joint venture Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMB) also licensed Bt technology to anyone willing to meet their financial and other contractual requirements. The Bt hybrids were in great demand with fanners because of increased yields and reduced pesticide use (Sadashivappa & Qaim, 2009).
Total cotton area (million ha) Legal Bt cotton area (million ha) Illegal Bt cotton area (million ha)
Figure 2. Trends under Bt cotton adoption in India, 2002/03 to 2009/10. Source: 2002 to 2006=Singh (2007); 2007 to 2010=Seed industry sources (Personal communication) Because there was no clear path to markets and profitability, the first investments in agricultural biotech research in India by the private sector were primarily by nonprofit foundations such as the SPIC (Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation) Foundation and Barwale Foundation in the early 1990s—often with financial support for their research from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). In addition, Monsanto established a biotech lab in Bangalore in 1998 as part of its global research network, and ProAgro (now owned by Bayer) made some investments in mustard and vegetable biotech research. Two agricultural biotech start-up companies—Avesthagen and Metahelix—were founded in 1998 and 2001, respectively, but there was not much enthusiasm by most Indian seed companies for investing in biotech.
These Bt cotton hybrids spread quickly even though Mahyco's initial Bt hybrid cultivars were based on older hybrids that were not competitive in most markets without Bt. Other cotton hybrids with the same Bt gene had been introduced in Gujarat around 2000 without the approval of the Indian Government. Adoption of both the legal and illegal Bt cottons increased rapidly over the next few years (see Figure 2). MMB eventually licensed the Bt to all of the major cotton seed companies. For the seed companies it was either license the Bt, develop a competing Bt, or completely lose their cotton seed market. The Bt hybrids with Bt licensed from MMB from Rasi, Nuziveedu, and Ankur seed companies reached the market in 2005. By 2008, more than 30 firms licensed Bt technology from MMB and nearly 82% of the cotton planted was under Bt cultivars from these firms. In 2009/10, the area under Bt cotton cultivation had reached nearly 90% of the cotton area.
The potential profitability of private research investments became more clear as cotton hybrids seed sales took off
Table 1. Private-sector R&D investment in cotton-crop improvement in India over years (Real Rupee terms; million Rs.)
Year
Total R&D investment by seed firms in crop improvement
R&D investment in cotton-crop improvement
Number of firms with cotton R&D
1987
417
40
9
1995
1,549
270
27
2003
2,000
500-750
30-32
2009/10
6,000
2,500-3,000
>50 a (37 Bt cotton)
Sources Pray, Ribiero, Mueller, and Rao (1991) Pray & Kelley (1998); Pray & Ramaswami (2001) Biospectrum (2009); James (2008) Authors’ survey & National Seed Association of India (NSAI)/Industry estimates (2009/10)
More than 50 companies are engaged in cotton-crop improvement and breeding aspects, out of which 37 companies have directly engaged in Bt transformation. Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Table 2. Bt cotton approved events and private firms’ participation in India, 2002-2010. Particulars # of Bt hybrids approved Events approved c # of companies with Bt cultivars
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009a
2010b
3
3
4
20
62
131
274
248
104
1
1
1
1
4
4
5
6
6
1
1
1
3
15
24
31
33
37
Source: Compiled from the Indian GMO Research Information Service (IGMORIS) website (n.d.), James (2008), Adityendra (2007), and Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC, 2009). a Approved cultivars by GEAC exclusively for 2009 b Approved cultivars exclusively until May 2010 c Approved events are Monsanto’s BGI and BGII; JK (Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur collaboration); Nath event (Chinese Bt event); Metahelix; Dharwad-University of Agricultural Sciences (Central Institute for Cotton Research collaboration). Events in the pipeline include the traits by Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, JK, and Bayer Crop Sciences
ton crop improvement and the money they invested in R&D (see Table 1). Between 1987 and 1995, R&D investment in cotton went from almost nothing to Rs. 27 million. Then it doubled between 1995 and 2003 (hybrid development phase), followed by a 5-times increased investment between 2003 and today. In 2009, 2 companies invested more than 40-50% of their total R&D in cotton-crop improvement.' It appears that Bt cotton has pulled up total private seed industry investments in to other crops also—see Column 2 in Table 1.
government sent a letter about the 'new (controlled) prices' to other state governments, which prompted them to adopt the same price policy as that of the AP government. Now these price caps have spread to important cotton-growing states throughout the country, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, and have influenced prices in the rest of India. The domestic firms, such as Nath Seeds and JK AgriGenetics, with their own Bt events were also required to sell hybrid seeds at the mandated price of Rs. 750 ($18) per 450-gram packet. MMB's licensees sold BGII seeds at Rs. 1,390 per 450-gram packet in 2006 when it was first sold commercially.
As a result of these R&D investments, new Bt genes and new Bt hybrids were developed (see Table 2). The number of hybrids increased exponentially since 2006. New Bt genes started to appear in 2006. In May 2006, MMB produced hybrids with stacked Bt genes, Bollgard II (BGII). In the same year, two domestic seed companies, JK AgriGenetics Ltd and Nath Seeds Ltd., had new Bt genes approved for commercialization. JK AgriGe netics developed "Event 1," featuring the Cry 1 Ac gene sourced from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur. "Vishwanath"—a hybrid by Nath Seeds—contained a fusion CrylAc/CrylAb Bt gene from Biocentury Transgene Technology Company, which was developed at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
In 2008, the AP government decided to go one step further and reduced prices on BGI to Rs. 650/packet and BGII to Rs. 750/packet. In the spring of 2010 they announced that they would keep seed prices at this level. These prices were matched by state governments in Maharashtra and Gujarat. In the northern states, prices were not officially controlled by the state governments, but they were clearly influenced by the price further south and ended up at nearly the same level—from 750 to 925/packet (Table 3). The last two columns of Table 3 show what happened to the trait fee and the actual royalty that came back to MMB. The total trait fee for BGI went from Rs. 1,200 in 2002/03 to Rs. 150/packet. Of this, about two-thirds goes to MMB while one-third is divided between the seed companies and others in the seed supply chain. The last two columns of this table show the actual royalties that went to MMB. These were shared equally by Monsanto and Mahyco.
Imposition of Price Controls In 2005, the government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) filed a petition with the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) seeking to have MMB and its licensees declared monopolists and to reduce Bt cotton seed prices. Early in 2006, the Commission agreed and stated that the state government should set the price of Bt cotton. MMB appealed against this price control order set by the MRTPC to the Supreme Court, but the issue is still pending five years later. Meanwhile during 2006, the planting time for cotton was approaching, so the seed companies negotiated with the AP government to set the price of hybrid cotton seed containing the BGI event at Rs. 750 ($18)/packet inclusive of technology fee. The AP
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Impact of Price Controls on Seed Sales and Profits of Farmers, Seed Companies, and Technology Providers The adoption of Bt cotton cultivars increased rapidly after price controls were implemented. In 2006, the adoption of Bt cotton increased to 63 percent of the cotton area, up from 28% in 2005. In 2007, Bt cotton spread to 69% of the total area, covering more than 90 percent of the area
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Table 3. : Bt cotton seed prices in Indian states (with and without price controls), share of trait fee, and technology provider’s fee per packet of seeds sold. Seed sales price in states/450 gms (Indian Rupees) States with no price States with price controls a controls b Year BGI BGII BGI BGII 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
1,600 1,600 1,675 1,700 750 750 750 750
1,390 925 925 925
1,600 1,600 1,675 1,700 650 650 650 650
750 750 750 750
Total trait fee/450 gms (Rs.) in states with price controls BGI 1,200 1,200 1,250 1,250 260 150 150 150
Technology provider fee/450 gms (Rs.) in states with price controls
BGII
BGI
BGII
435 260 260 260
696 696 726 726 150 96 96 96
225 160 160 160
Notes: BGI=Monsanto’s single-protein technology; BGII=Monsanto’s double-protein technology Source: Personal communication with officials from Monsanto (July-August, 2010); NSAI (personal communication, May 2010). a Price controls were officially imposed by states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat from the 2006 season onwards. These three states in total occupy nearly 80% of the total Bt cotton acreage. In Madhya Pradesh, though, price controls were imposed during the 2006 season; it was withdrawn upon defeat against the case by MMB in the High Court. b Price controls were not adopted in states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Karnataka, or Tamil Nadu.
under hybrid cotton (Singh, 2007). Biotech companies and seed companies benefited from introducing this technology through increased profits, but in aggregate the biggest winners were the fanners who adopted Bt cotton.
and was forecast to further decline to 27% in 2007/08. While illegal seeds are still common, price restrictions appear to be having the positive effect of making the legal product more price competitive with illegal Bt cotton (Lalitha et al, 2008).
Part of the increased sales and adoption of Bt seed was due to the increase in the availability of locally adapted hybrids, i.e., technology development that had worked their way through the regulatory process since 2005 and high prices for the output (Arora & Bansal, 2010). MMB believes that the quantity of their seed sales in 2006 season would have increased between 100 percent and 133 percent above 2005 even if the seed price had stayed at Rs. 1,600, but because of the combined effect of technology and price reductions, the quantity of seed sold in 2006 was actually 180 percent higher (personal communication with former MMB official, 2008). Another part of these increased sales of legal Bt cotton seed was because farmers are now able to buy authorized seeds for reduced prices rather than the illegal seed. The spread of the illegal seed slowed down and then declined after 2006 (see Figure 2). In recent years, state governments also regulated the cotton seed trade by penalizing illegal seed suppliers through heavy fines and punishments (in terms of jail terms and suspension of license), thus assuring more seeds of tested and approved hybrids reach fanners.2 For example, in Guja-rat, which has the maximum acreage under illegal Bt cotton (nearly 60 percent), the area planted to illegal seeds declined to 34 percent of the total area planted in Bt cotton in 2006/07,
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
Virtually all of the studies published in refereed journals—plus many other government and industry reports—find that farmers obtained large increases in profits due to adoption of Bt cotton and that profits have increased over time. For example, Sadashivappa and Qaim (2009) found that farmers' profits went from US $121 per ha in 2002/03 to US $165 in 2006/07. From their two rounds of survey in 2002 and 2003, Bennett, Kambhampati, Morse, and Ismail (2006) also concluded that the Bt growers received a higher gross margin (US $l,157/ha) than non-Bt growers (US $665/ha), after taking into account the seed cost and varying cotton prices. Gandhi and Namboodri (2006) in their extensive survey across four major cotton-growing states in India found that the profits per hectare of Bt cotton cultivation ranged from US $347 to $729, while non-Bt cotton profits ranged from US $123 to $414 per hectare. A study by the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and Indian Market Research Bureau International (ASSOCHAM & IMRB, 2007) conducted across 23 districts in 6 states reported an increase in the net revenue of US $432 per ha with Bt adoption—earning an average 64 percent higher income per acre than conventional growers. The Brookes and Barfoot (2008) summary of the
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre published Indian studies found that yields of Bt cotton were 54 percent higher than non Bt and that the increase in farm income at the national level due to Bt cotton adoption in 2006 at US $839.9 million.
Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharash-tra—where the price controls are in effect. The main technology provider is MMB, although Nath Seeds and JK AgriGenetics also had some sales of their Bt. Since Monsanto does most of the research and product development in the United States, the R&D costs are assumed to be sunk costs; hence, the marginal cost of producing one extra unit of technology in India is zero. The cost of regulatory approval does occur in India, but it is independent of sales of the specific product. Thus, we can say that there is zero marginal cost and a perfectly elastic supply of Bt cotton technology. As mentioned earlier, Monsanto distributes Bt cotton through its joint venture with Mahyco, called Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (or MMB). The income to MMB can thus be calculated simply by multiplying the royalties by the quantity of seed sold, i.e., Profits = (# of packets sold x trait fee for technology provider). Seed firms that license Bt pay a one-time lump-sum payment for technology fees of Rs. 50 million to MMB to acquire Bt gene technology (BGI, BGII, and RR Flex cottons; Pray et al, 2005). Currently 37 firms have sub-licensed Mon-santo's Bt gene technology in India. Of the total MMB profits, Monsanto shares nearly half of its revenue with Mahyco as per their agreement.
Table 4 presents our best estimates of the total net revenue (profits) realized by the major stakeholders in the Bt seed value chain (including fanners but excluding consumers) since its introduction in 2002.3 The farm-level revenues were calculated based on seed industry estimates on the quantity of seeds sold and also acreage covered from 2002 to 2010. We used estimates of Qaim (2009) on net revenues realized per hectare of Bt cotton by farming households. It is evident from Table 4 that the fanners' shares of the net revenue have increased substantially by the adoption of Bt seed price controls since 2006. Nearly 85-90% of the total profits earned by the Bt cotton industry as a whole (includes technology provider and seed fmn's profits) went to fann profits. Table 4 also shows the dramatic impact of the price controls on the shares of the providers of Bt genes and the seed companies that licensed the gene. The profit shares were as high as 28% and 16% for seed firms and MMB, respectively, prior to the 2006/07 cropping season. They declined dramatically after the imposition of price controls. The revenue earned by the seed firms was especially affected. This decline was due to two reasons: a significant reduction in seed prices (nearly 50-60% caused by price controls), and an increase in the cost of seed production (a roughly 35-40% increase).4 More than 80% of the Bt seed packets (also acreage) sold by seed firms are in three major cotton growing states—Andhra
Table 5 shows what happened to the total royalties of MMB (not including the lump sum payments) and the profits of the seed companies who licensed this technology. MMB took a major cut in royalties in the first year of price controls—from Rs. 2,275 million to Rs. 612 million. Royalties did not reach the 2005/06 levels again until last year. The profits of the licensees were reduced even more
Table 4. Estimated shares of total revenue to farmers, technology providers (MMB), and seed firms. Net revenue Bt cotton (million Rs.) Year 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07* 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
Share of stakeholders in net revenue (%)
Bt seed packets sold (million)
Bt cotton area (million ha)
Farmers a + firms + MMB
Farmers
Firms
MMB
0.07 0.23 1.30 3.13 4.00 16.00 27.00 30.00
0.05 0.10 0.50 1.30 3.80 6.30 7.60 8.40
474.1 1,110.9 5,975.0 15,113.3 26,762.0 45,550.9 56,761.6 63,434.4
71.2 60.8 56.5 58.1 95.8 93.4 90.4 89.4
18.2 24.8 27.7 26.9 1.9 3.1 4.2 4.4
10.6 14.4 15.8 15.0 2.3 3.6 5.4 6.3
Source: Calculated from authors’ assumptions based on industry estimates of total seed packets sold over years. a The net revenues for farm households were calculated based on field-based studies conducted by Qaim and Zilberman (2003), Qaim, Subramanian, Naik, and Zilberman (2006), and Qaim (2009). The net revenue assumptions for the years 2002/03 to 2006/07 were based on Qaim et al. (2006) and Qaim (2009) farm-level survey results; for 2009/10, assumptions were based on FrancisKanoi Agri-Inputs Marketing Research Cotton Crop Track (2010). * Price controls were imposed in the 2006/07 season.
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Table 5. Estimated revenue realized by technology providers (MMB) and seed firms from Bt cotton seed sales in India, 2002-2010.
than Monsanto because they not only had lower revenue, but they were also hit with a 35-40 percent increase in costs of producing and marketing seed. It is interesting to note that before price controls, the seed companies captured more profits from sales of Bt seed than MMB, while after price controls MMB received more profits from Bt than the seed companies.
Year
Impact of Price Controls on Research and Technology Supply
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07* 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10
There is no substantial evidence yet of a slowdown in the provision of new technologies due to the price controls, but it is really too early to conclude anything. Table 2 indicates that two more GM cotton events were approved after 2006, and three more are in the pipeline to be approved. However, given the structure of the regulatory system, all of these traits were developed and entered into the regulatory system well before 2006. The development of new GM cultivars continued to accelerate until 2009(see Table 2), but again it is not obvious whether the increase and recent decline is due to the rise and decline of incomes of the seed companies and MMB or simply momentum from programs started before 2006.
Net revenue (million Rs.) Share of Bt cotton Technology Seed firms a packets sold in providers (Excl. trait price-control (MMB) b fee) states (%)c 50.2 160.1 943.8 2,272.4 612.0 1,617.9 3,058.6 3,974.4
86.4 275.8 1,656.2 4,065.9 500.0 1,408.0 2,403.0 2,760.0
86 76 79" 80 83 77 76 73
Source: Authors’ calculations based on the information provided by industry sources. a Technology providers’ revenue is calculated from their share in total trait value. Of the total revenue, Monsanto shares 50% of revenue with their domestic partner, Mahyco. b Net revenue of seed firms = Bt seed sales price – Technology provider trait fee (MMB fee) – Cost of seed production (which includes revenue shared with actors in distribution channels) × the number of packets (450gms) sold. The cost of seed production incurred by seed firms assumed indifferent for BGI and BGII. c Indicates the share of the Bt cotton seeds sold (as well as acreage) in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. These are the three states where price controls for cotton have been imposed officially by the state governments.
Table 6. R&D expenses incurred by technology providers and sub-licensees of Bt gene. R&D expenses # (million Rs.)
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
"4 firms with own Bt events a 5 major sub-licensees of Bt events b
289.5 26.8
437.7 34.9
540.3 33.5
669.9 59.5
724.8 82.6
912.7 87.1
1,164.5" 159.6
# R&D expenses were calculated based on Author’s surveys (2009/10); Estimates based on authors’ interviews with NSAI, New Delhi in 2009 and 2010; Department of Scientific Industrial Research (DSIR, Annual reports, 2003 to 2009) a R&D expenses of firms with own events here refer to Mahyco, Monsanto, JK AgriGenetics, and Nath Seeds. b Sub-licensees expenses refers to Rasi, Nuziveedu, Ajeet, Ankur, and Krishidhan seed firms only.
The impact of the declines in royalties does not show up in the available R&D data (Table 6). Both biotechnology companies and licensees of biotech traits were affected by the revenue declines, but the total research expenditures of both groups continue to rise. Total research of biotech companies working on developing genes for cotton and major field crops—Monsanto, Mahyco, Nath, JK AgriGenetics—continued to grow rapidly (first row one). R&D by the licensees (second row in table) also grew rapidly throughout this period. It seems likely that firms continued to spend more towards cotton R&D in hopes that the price controls will soon be lifted. A few firms that we interviewed did acknowledge a shift in resources away from cotton and a rapid increase in expenditures on other crops after seed price controls took effect.
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The journal Biospectrum publishes sales of Bt cotton by the major seed companies engaged in biotech crop sales in India (Table 7).5 Of these, companies like Rasi, Nuziveedu, Ankur, and Krishidhan do not have major research programs to develop genes of cotton; rather, they focus their research on developing improved hybrids. The sales of this group of companies has definitely benefited from price controls, but declining net revenues of seed firms (or sub-licensees) from our calculations shown in the previous two tables (Tables 5 and 6) suggests that the increased gross revenue (as shown in Table 7) and the reduced royalties have not helped the profits of seed firms. So far, the only signs that price controls may be slowing the supply of technology come from interviews with the companies and presentations to the government from the
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre Table 7. Total sales revenue of Bt cotton from leading agri-biotech domestic firms in India (million Rs.). Companies Rasi Nuziveedu Mahyco Ankur Krishidhan Nath JK AgriGenetics Metahelix
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
869
3,095 625 1,178
3,333 2,264 1,107 695 180 119 187 60
2,933 2,919 1,359 557 477 620 460 66
3,756 4,496 2,111 803 632 485 260 97
3,588 4,769 3,120 1,095 1,332 850 350 N/A
1,660
Source: Compiled from Biospectrum (2009). organizations that represent them. Two industry groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the National Seed Association of India (NSAI) and the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;have argued that prices should be increased because the cost of producing seeds has gone up and squeezing out royalties would likely discourage new investment in R&D.6 The US-India Business Council (2009) identified non-market-based pricing as one of the most significant disincentives to the commercialization of new biotech seeds by global seed firms in India. According to the founder of Rasi Seeds, continued state government interference in pricing is harming the ability of indigenous companies to develop and commercialize biotech seeds (Suresh & Rao, 2009). During our interviews with multinational biotech firms in August 2010, it was clear they are wary of bringing in new GM traits such as drought tolerance or doing any research on traits for India-specific problems until the price-control situation is clarified.
around our Bt genes, but with this price cap, I can't negotiate appropriate licensing fees with seed companies and I can't competitively price my seeds. So, we are bleeding," said K.K. Narayanan, Managing Director of Metahelix Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based crop biotech firm (Koshy, 2010). It must be particularly frustrating for Indian companies like Metahelix because government regulations gave MMB a monopoly for 5 years with royalties up to $24/packet and then when local companies break the monopoly by developing their own new biotech products, the government reduces prices to a level that makes profits on these investments almost impossible. Murugkar, Ramaswami, and Shelar's (2007) study of the seed industry concluded that price caps were particularly problematic for new domestic firms seeking to enter the market. A final reason for concern that Indian fanners may be the losers because they do not get access to the best technology is the example of China. There, Bt cotton varieties were introduced by Monsanto and by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 1997. However, the lack of intellectual property rights either in the fonn of hybrids or effective patent protection meant that neither multinationals, Chinese seed companies, nor government research institutes could make substantial profits on the Bt trait (Hu et al., 2009). Monsanto and other multinationals decide there were not enough potential profits to support research or commercializing new imported genes for cotton, and the government institutes were also not successful in developing new GM traits. As a result and despite their head start on Indian fanners with the first Bt cotton, Chinese farmers have not gotten any new GM traits for cotton since 1997, and they do not have access to Bt cotton stacked with two Bt genes, which is the most popular Bt cotton in India.
Some of the small biotech companies have been particularly vocal in their opposition to price controls. In July 2009, Metahelix received approval to sell its new Bt gene. Metahelix is a small biotech and seed company that was founded in Bangalore in 2001 by scientists who had worked at Monsanto.7 It was funded by "angel investors" from the information-technology industry. Their business plan was to develop appropriate biotech products for the Indian market. They started their Bt cotton program in 2003, lost at least one year of field trials due to objections to GM field trials raised at the Supreme Court by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and then finally in 2009 received permission from the government to sell this Bt product. They had hoped to start selling the product in 2010, but in May 2010 the President of Metahelix reported that the price cap prevented them from introducing hybrids with new Bt in 2010: "I've spent over (Rs.) 25-30 crore [US$5-6 million] in the last seven years on research and regulatory approvals
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Biotechnology Innovation & Price Centre dynamic parts of the agricultural sector. This will reduce the profits of MMB; reduce profits and probably reduce research by small, innovative Indian companies such as Metahelix; and slow the provision of new genes to farmers. Or they can choose to encourage firms to innovate by supporting the innovation process with strong IPRs, biosafety regulations that are efficient and inexpensive, and strong public sector R&D. In addition, they can reduce the prices of new technology by making use of India's new competition policy to make sure that as many companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both Indian and internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as possible can enter the biotech industry rather than slowing down small firms and new entrants through price controls.
Conclusions The introduction of Bt cotton brought impressive increases in incomes to fanners and profits to biotechnology companies and seed companies. Approximately 60% of the benefits went to fanners before the imposition of price controls in 2006 (Table 4). With imposition of price controls in 2006, a much larger share (about 90%) of the benefits went to farmers, while the shares of biotech providers and seed companies declined. After price controls were implemented in 2006, biotech and seed companies continued to make profits, but profits were dramatically lower than they were in 2005. The technology providers did not reach their 2005 profit levels again until 2008, while the seed companies still have not returned to their previous profit levels.
References Adityendra, K. (2007, December). Indian agri-biotech sector: Emerging scenarios, issues and challenges. Mumbai, India: Rabobank International, F&A Research and Advisory.
Both economic theory and empirical research make it clear that price controls on the sale of new technology by private companies will reduce their investments in R&D and innovation. Empirical evidence to support this proposition comes primarily from the pharmaceutical industry. Foreign companies will send their technology first to countries where potential benefits are highest and then will bring them to places where the returns are lower and there is less uncertainty whether technology will be accepted. This is clearly what happened in China. Monsanto brought Bt technology to China in 1997 before India, but when they found that they could not make substantial profits there, they stopped doing research and bringing in new technology to China for almost a decade. As a result, Chinese farmers still do not have access to technology such as Bollgard II, which Indian farmers have had since 2006.
Arora, A., and Bansal, S. (2010). Diffusion of Bt cotton in India: Impact of seed prices and technological development (Unpublished technical paper). New Delhi, India: .Tawaharlal Nehru University, Centre for International Trade and Development, School of International Studies. Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Indian Market Research Bureau International (IMRB). (2007). Economic benefits of Bt cotton cultivation in India. In Bt cotton farming in India. New Delhi, India: Author. Bennett, R., Kambhampati, U., Morse, S., and Ismail, Y., (2006). Farm-level economic performance of genetically modified cotton in Maharashtra, India. Review of Agricultural Economics, 28, 50-71.
In India there is clear evidence that both Indian and foreign companies responded to evidence of high expected returns to R&D investment and made major investments in biotechnology research between 1995 and 2006. There is not yet any quantitative evidence that firms have reduced their research or their innovations due to the lower returns to companies that provided new biotech in India. Indian companies and Indian branches of multinationals say that as a result of the Bt cotton seed price controls, they are slowing down introduction of new technology, but it is too early to have any numbers to substantiate this claim.
Biospectrum. (2009). Biospectrum-ABLE industry overview. Bio-spectrum Asia Edition, 4(11). Brookes, G, and Barfoot, P. (2008). Global impact of biotech crops: Socioeconomic and environmental effects, 1996-2006. AgBioFonim, 11(1), 21-38. Ava i l a b l e o n t h e Wo r l d W i d e We b : htt p ://www.agbioforum.org.
Indian states now have a choice. They can choose to continue to please farmers and fanner groups who have a short-term perspective on technology and continue to squeeze the profits of biotech companies and seed companies by controlling prices in what was one of the most
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Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). (2003-2009). Annual reports, 2003 to 2009 (Individual annual reports). New Delhi: Government of India, Ministry of Science and Technology, DSIR. Available on the World Wide Web:
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Eence, S.H., Hayes, D..T., McCunn, A., Smith, S., and Niebur, W.S. (2005). Welfare impacts of intellectual property protection in the seed industry. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 87(4), 951-968.
http://www.dsir.gov.in/. Francis Kanoi Agri-Inputs Marketing Research. (2010). Cotton crop track, 20092010: A report on seeds. Chennai, India: Author. Gandhi, V., and Namboodiri, N.V. (2006). The adoption and economics ofBt cotton in India: Preliminary results from a study (Working paper No. 2006-09-04). Ahmedabad, India: Indian Institute of Management.
Murugkar, M., Ramaswami, B., and Shelar, M. (2007). Competition and monopoly in the Indian cotton seed market. Economic and Political Weekly, 42(37), 37813789.
Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC). (2009). Decisions taken in the 91s1 meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee held on January 14, 2009 (Meeting Agenda Notes). New Delhi, India: Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Available on the World Wide Web: http:// www.envfor.nic.in /divisions/csurv/geac/ decision-jan-91 .htm.
Pray, C.E., Bengali, P., and Ramaswami, B. (2005).The cost of regulation: The India experience. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, 44(3), 267-289. Pray, C.E., and Fuglie, K. (2001). Private investment in agricultural research and international technology transfer in Asia (Economic Research Service Technical Report 805). Washington, DC: US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service.
Giaccotto, C., Santerre, R., and Vernon, .T.A. (2005). Drug prices and R&D investment behavior in the pharmaceutical industry. The Journal of Law and Economics, 48(1), 195-214.
Pray, C.E., and Kelley, T. (1998). Impact of liberalization and deregulation on technology supply by the Indian seed industry (Unpublished manuscript). Hyderabad, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.
Hu, R., Pray, C.E., Huang, .T., Rozelle,S., Fan, C., and Zhang, C. (2009). Reforming intellectual property rights and the Bt cotton seed industry in China: Who benefits from policy reform? Research Policy, 38, 793-801.
Pray, C.E., and Ramaswami, B. (2001). Technology, IPRs, and reform options: A case study of the seed industry with implications for other input industries. The International Food and Agribusiness Marketing Review, 2(3/4), 407-420.
Indian GMO Research Information Service (IGMORIS). (2010). [website]. New Delhi, India: Author. Available on the World Wide Web: http://igmoris.nic.in/. James, C. (2008). Global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops (ISAAA Brief No. 39). Ithaca, NY: International Service for the Acquisition of AgriBiotech Applications (ISAAA).
Pray, C.E., Ribeiro, S., Mueller, R.A.E., & Rao, P.P. (1991). Private research and public benefit: The private seed industry for sorghum and pearl millet in India. Research Policy, 20, 315-324".
Koshy, J.P. (2010, May 4). Biotech companies say cotton seed price cap limiting research. LiveMint.Com & the Wall Street Journal. Available on the World Wide Web:http://www.live-mint.com/2010/05/04205303 /Biotech-companies-say-cotton-s.html.
Qaim, M. (2009). The economics of genetically modified crops. The Annual Review of Resource Economics, 1, 665-693.
Kyle, M. (2003). The role affirm characteristics in pharmaceutical product launches (Memo). Durham, NC: Duke University.
Qaim, M., and de .Tanvry, A. (2003). Genetically modified crops, corporate pricing strategies, and fanners' adoption: The case of Bt cotton in Argentina. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 85, 814828.
Lalitha, N., Pray, C.E., and Ramaswami, B. (2008). The limits of intellectual property rights: Lessons from the spread of illegal transgenic seeds in India (Discussion Paper 08-06 in Economics). Delhi: Indian Statistical Institute.
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Qaim, M., Subramanian, A., Naik, G, and Zilberman, D. (2006). Adoption of Bt cotton and impact variability: Insights from India. Review of Agricultural Economics, 28(1), 48-58.Qaim, M., & Zilberman, D. (2003). Yield
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in connection with 'India: Effects of tariffs and nontariff 'measures on U.S. agricultural exports' (Investigation No. 332-504). Washington, DC: Author.
effects of genetically modified crops in developing countries. Science, 299, 900-902 Ramaswami, B., Pray, C.E., and Kelley, T. (2001). The impact of economic reforms on R&D by the Indian seed industry. Food Policy, 26(6), 587-598.
Vernon, T.A. (2005). Examining the link between price regulation and pharmaceutical R&D Investment. Health Economics, 14(1), 1-17.
Sadashivappa, P., and Qaim, M. (2009). Bt cotton in India: Development of benefits and the role of government seed price interventions. AgBioForum, 12(2), 172183.
Acknowledgments We would like to thank all the seed company leaders in India who shared their valuable insights and information on this subject with us. We thank Ms. Smriti Rao for her research assistance on this article. Comments from two anonymous reviewers were very helpful, and we thank them for their time. Funding support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Economic Research Service at USDA is gratefully acknowledged.
Singh, S.K. (2007, May). India: Cotton and products annual 2007 (GAIN Report Number IN7041). Washington, DC: USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS). Suresh, N., and Rao, C.S. (2009). Profiles of four top biotech companies in India. Biotechnology Journal, 4, 295-300. US-India Business Council. (2009, June 26). Written submission to the US International Trade Commission
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(Reproduced with the kind permission of the authors)
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Events
NSAI Annual General Meeting 2012
T
he Annual General Meeting of the National Seed Association of India was organized at Goa on 4 August 2012. The meeting was attended by more than sixty participants representing fifty NSAI members. The members appreciated the shift of venue from New Delhi (NSAI HQ) to the beautiful beach resort. The meeting
Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
chaired by NSAI President Dr. K. V. Subbarao also deliberated on improving the functioning of the Association and improvement of operational environment for the industry besides transacting the routine AGM agenda. The AGM was followed by a cultural evening where the members truly let their hair down and enjoyed the social networking time.
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117
Sixth International Hybrid Rice Symposium T
General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Secretary for Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Dr. Robert Zeigler, Director General of IRRI.
he 6th International Hybrid Rice Symposium was organized by IRRI and ICAR (and its constituent organization, the Directorate of Rice Research in Hyderabad on 10-12 September, 2012 in Hyderabad, gathering scientists and policymakers from around the world to discuss developments and issues on hybrid rice.
T h e S y m p o s i u m w a s i n a u g u ra t e d b y M r. K . Laxminarayana, Agriculture Minister of Andhra Pradesh, who called upon the scientists, farmers, and political leaders present to "come forward to meet the challenges in rice production" and adopt the latest technologies to enhance productivity.
Addressing about 450 delegates from 32 countries were China's Prof. Yuan Longping, the "Father of Hybrid Rice"; Mr. Ashish Bahuguna, Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperation, Govt. of India; Dr. S. Ayyappan, Director
Mr. K. Laxminarayana
Prof. Yuan Longping
Dr. S. Ayyappan
Mr. Bahuguna, felt that many issues remained for addressing India's food requirement in spite of the advantages of hybrid technology. Dr. Ayyappan, said the symposium will be the "guiding force" in crafting plans for further development of hybrid rice technology.
security in developing countries such as China and India. Dr. Zeigler expressed concern about the prevailing drought conditions in Asia and other parts of the world, and the need to develop new varieties of hybrid rice that require less water.
Prof. Yuan, who is also Director General of the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Centre, talked about the significant contributions of hybrid rice in sustaining food
Dr. N. K. Dadlani, Director, NSAI made an invited presentation on 'NSAI's Role in encouraging seed production and marketing' at the Symposium. He also Co
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118
The International Hybrid Rice Symposia are held once every four years in various parts of the rice-growing world to provide a venue for all stakeholders of hybrid rice to come together and discuss research, seed production, and development issues.
Chaired the Session on ' Seed Production, Agronomy, Protection & Social Sciences' as also was a Panelist in the Plenary Discussion on ' Way forward for wider adoption of hybrid rice to enhance productivity'. Many NSAI member companies participated in the Symposium.
Symposium delegates at DRR farm for field visit
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NSAI launches
Project Saksham: An initiative to provide capacity building to the Seed Industry S
eed is a knowledge based industry. Embarking on regular and continuous up- gradation of Knowledge drives continuous innovation; USP and value add for the players in the industry. As one of its core objectives, NSAI is committed to provide a capacity building across the seed value chain to different stakeholders, for sustainability and continuous growth. In pursuit of this objective, NSAI launched an initiative called "Project Saksham" to arrange relevant and high quality training programs for the industry professionals. The first training program, under the initiative, focused on SEED QUALITY ASSURANCE designed for the Industry people engaged in the areas of SEED QUALITY MANAGEMENT went underway on the 24 th July 2012 in technical collaboration with the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).
Dignitaries at the inauguration ceremony
Shri Balvinder Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture , Government of India inaugurated the training program , attended by 22 Heads of the Seed Quality Assurance departments of seed companies, Senior Managers in Quality Control Departments & others. It was aimed at providing updated knowledge in the area of
Seed Quality Assurance, Quality Systems - design & Implementations, and Quality as a tool of efficiency enhancement for meeting future Quality needs. The program was chaired by the Dean, IARI - Dr H S Gaur and Dr. (Mrs) Malavika Dadlani, Joint Director (Research), IARI, was the guest of Honour. She spoke about the quality systems in India and their future needs. The program was implemented by Dr Vilas Tonapi, Head, Division of SeedScience & Technology, IARI and his able team. Mr Raju Kapoor, ED, NSAI encouraged the industry to adopt Quality as its DNA, and work together to provide quality at the doorstep of the farmers. Dr. N K Dadlani, Director, NSAI participated in the efforts made by NSAI to make the training a success. NSAI saw immense enthusiasm among its stakeholders towards the training program, and ensured to capture all the aspirants from the Seed Industry who could use this opportunity for capacity building.
Dignitaries at the inauguration ceremony Seed Times Jul. - Sep. 2012
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NSC Celebrates it's Golden Jubilee Year
National Seeds Corporation (NSC) was established on 19th March, 1963. The Corporation has entered into 50th year of service to the farmers of the nation by providing seeds of high yielding varieties and hybrids. With the production of small quantity of maize seed in 1963, present product basket of NSC comprises of nearly 600 varieties of 60 crops. There are about 8000 registered seed growers enabling NSC to take up seed production in best possible agro-climatic zones. The corporation has pan India presence with its'10 Regional Offices and 77 Area Offices/Sub-Units all over the country. It is an ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001: 2004 certified company. Besides production and marketing of seeds, it has also diversified into supply of Tissue Culture Plantlets of Banana and seedlings/saplings of fruits trees. The performance of NSC has seen all-round growth in terms of turnover and efficiency during the last 10 years as a result of which NSC has been awarded the status of Schedule â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bâ&#x20AC;? and Miniratna company during 2010-11. NSC was also conferred with SCOPE award for excellence and outstanding contribution to the public Sector Management-Institutional-III by Hon'ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan on 31rst January, 2012.
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On the occasion of its' Golden Jubilee year, the Corporation has planned to celebrate the same with functions to be organised at all the Area offices, Regional offices as well as at Head office level. Inaugural function was held at Dr. B.P. Pal Auditorium in IARI on 16.8.2012. The function was inaugurated by Hon'ble Minister of State for Agriculture, GOI, which was attended by the Secretary, Agriculture and co-operation, the Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, DG ICAR & other senior officials of various Government departments and institutions. Former CMDs and MDs and staff from AOs, ROs, and All the staff from Head office also attended the function. In the inaugural function, while the contribution of NSC was appreciated, the speakers deliberated at length on the need of increased role for NSC in view of the changing seed scenario in the country to popularise newer varieties of seeds at a faster pace to enable enhancement of Seed Replacement Rate. The Chairman and Managing Director Sh. S.K. Roogta thanked the delegates for the participation and congratulated, all the employees of NSC, Seed growers, Farmers, Dealers, other stake holders and all the well wishers of NSC, on the occasion of launching of the Golden Jubilee celebration function held at Delhi on 16th August, 2012.
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The 6th International Hybrid Rice Symposium -Bayer Satellite Symposium
Members of the panel discussion (from left to right) – Rajvir Rathi, Frederic Top, Dr. S.K. Datta, Dr. N.K. Dadlani, Dr. B.C. Viraktamath and Amit Trikha
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many discussions on how to improve the rice bowl in Asia in the future.
he Seeds business unit of Bayer CropScience participated in the 6th International Hybrid Rice Symposium as the Platinum Sponsor. Held from September 10-12 in Hyderabad, the theme of the Symposium was “Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Hybrid Rice.”
Bayer CropScience also organized a high profile Panel Discussion on “Hybrid Rice – Prospects and Challenges”, a topic pertinent to both public and private industry delegates. The panel included Dr. S.K. Datta - Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR); Dr. B.C. Viraktamath - Project Director, Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), Hyderabad; Dr. N.K. Dadlani - Director, National Seed Association of India (NSAI), Mr. Frederic Top - Global Rice Business Support Manager, Bayer CropScience and Mr. Amit Trikha - APAC Rice Business Manager, Bayer BioScience.
At the event, Bayer CropScience highlighted Arize®, its hybrid rice, which made a positive impact with over 550 participants from 32 countries. Bayer's exhibition stall was the main attraction amongst the delegates who were eager to know more about the Arize success story. Arize's “Better Rice, Better Life” brand tagline was the center of
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The panelists deliberated upon ways of increasing rice yields to meet the world's increasing demand for rice and agreed that hybrid rice presented a viable option to increase rice productivity. They also discussed the need for creating a policy environment, conducive for rapid adoption of hybrid rice in a sustainable manner and the need for focused research on developing climate resilient hybrids through various technological innovations.
education program among growers for rapid adoption of hybrid seeds. Frederic Top, Global Rice Business Support Manager, showed the growing acreage of Arize on a global scale, highlighting Bayer Crop Science's research commitment towards finding new hybrid traits for Asian growers. Rajvir Rathi, South and East Asia Market Acceptance Manager, moderated the panel discussion on hybrid rice policy making in India and together with Amit Trikha, APAC Rice Business Manager, led a discussion on how to accelerate hybrid rice adoption in India.
Dr. S.K. Datta, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) said, “Hybrid rice is a unique technology that will help address India's food security needs. For rapid adoption by farmers there is a need for developing a uniform subsidy module across rice growing states and encourage procurement of hybrid rice produce.”
The panel concluded by celebrating the success of three Indian growers who obtained record yields thanks to Arize® high-yielding quality seeds. VIP delegates were also taken on a field tour to Bayer CropScience's Khanapur breeding station where the best Arize hybrids were showcased to them.
Dr. B.C. Viraktamath, Project Director, Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), Hyderabad, opined that conducive procedures of germplasm exchange is key to sustainable research to enhance the improvement of genetic pool and deploy new climate resilient hybrids. Dr. N.K. Dadlani, Director, National Seed Association of India (NSAI), emphasized the need for a robust extension and
Bayer is convinced that hybrid rice will help contribute in sustaining a second green revolution, increasing food production and encouraging stable prices, while conserving and preserving natural resources.
Members of the panel discussion celebrated the success of three farmers from Andhra Pradesh who obtained record yields of rice by using Arize high-yielding seeds
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Awards & Honours
Bayer CropScience's Child Care Program wins prestigious Corporate Leadership Award
Mr. Satish Patil, Head - Seeds business, Bayer CropScience India (extreme right) receiving the Agriculture Leadership Award from Mr. Harish Rawat (3rd from left) - Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Government of India.
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outstanding contribution in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility.
ayer CropScience was presented with the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award 2012 for its contribution towards ending child labor in cotton seeds production. Mr. Satish Patil, Head - Seeds Business, Bayer CropScience India, received the award from Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Harish Rawat at an awards ceremony held in New Delhi on September 19. The list of high-ranking guests at the event included government representatives from several Indian states.
The jury praised Bayer CropScience for "its pioneering work in the area of child care, training and skills imparted to farmers through innovative programs and initiatives which have positively impacted the lives of a large number of farmers and the rural masses of the country". The principal aim of Bayer's Child Care Program is to get children off the fields of contract farmers and into the schools, while supporting the contract farmers with expertise and technology to enhance their output.
The jury which included Prof. M.S. Swaminathan (renowned Indian agricultural scientist also known as the "Father of the Green Revolution in Indiaâ&#x20AC;?) selected Bayer CropScience for the Leadership Award 2012, for its
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The Agriculture Leadership Awards are presented every year by Agriculture Today, a leading agricultural trade journal in India.
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SEED & AGRICULTURE STATISTICS
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Q &A WITH RAJU KAPOOR
THE MAHYCO VOL NO.4 ISSUE: OCTOBER 2012
mailer
Mr. Raju Kapoor is the Executive Director at the National Seeds Association of India (NSAI).
Could you please share your thoughts on the seed supply challenges faced by the seed industry 1. Though as a country we are clearly self sufficient as far as meeting the seeds demand is concerned for the time being, as we move forward, and with improving Seed Replacement Ratios, we will seriously need to quickly build up our seed multiplication/storage infrastructure.
Are any measures being taken to make the farmers and the public aware of the solutions to these challenges? What are they? NSAI is increasingly engaging with the policy makers to ensure an enabling environment for the industry to be able to serve the stakeholders, but there is a strong need to take the issues to the stakeholders for a win-win resolution of the irritants and supporting the growth enablers.
2. We need to develop newer areas/ zones for seed multiplication to de-risk seed availability.
Seed supply is an issue faced by the farmers every year. What do you think is the solution to the overcome this challenge?
3. Trained/skilled human resource across the value chain will be a serious challenge for us to address
I believe the issue is not the availability of seed, it is available in sufficient quantities but sometimes due to the complicated supply chain involved, one may sporadically feel shortages. The best way to resolve this problem is to remove all controls on free flow of seeds in the supply chain and bring about a transparency to prevent traders manipulating the market situation to the detriment of the industry and the farmers.
4. We need to address the Seed Multiplication Ratios on food security crops. 5. The outdated mindset of compulsory seed screening etc. at the public systems and the State universities, will have to be . addressed to make the system market oriented rather than controls oriented. 6. The State and the industry need to act as partners rather than adversaries in promoting seed availability and supply chain management. 7. The role, capability and impact of Public seed companies will need to undergo a transformation as they may crumble under the low/no subsidy regime that may be forced on the country for financial reasons. 8. The market driven product development will need to be unshackled from the 'control' mindset of the powers that be. 9. Market distortion through the discriminatory subsidy policies must either be done away with or rationalised to be inclusive for the long term growth of the market. 10. Focus on seed quality assurance by the industry and understanding of the same at the regulators level is a step we compulsorily need. 11. Overall, the industry is geared up and the State is slowly realising the importance of the industry in meeting the common objectives of food/feed security and nutritional up gradation. Together we should be able to handle the issue very well.
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As an industry body, how do you ensure demand and supply of seeds to the farmers, especially for certain varieties that are in great demand? As a body, at present we are not directly involved at the micro level, but we have ' een able to convince the governm mt to engage the NSAI in developing their seed plans to avoid market distortions. We are trying to convince the government to allow market forces to operate freely as there are a large number of viable alternatives available to all varieties of all crops. Due to late monsoon arrival this year, do you think there would be an impact on seed supply next year? I believe that the supply of coarse grain seeds, pulses and oilseeds could be affected in the coming year. Every year there are reports of fake seeds supply. What are the measures undertaken by NSAI to keep a check on such fake and illegal supply of seeds in the markets? It is very difficult for the industry body at present to address the issue as it takes place at a very remote and the bottom most level of the market, but I strongly believe, if we can allow the good quality seed to move freely in the market place with adequate transparency, the incidence of the spurious/fake seed will come down automatically. NSAI has been undertaking special training programs for the industry to focus on the modern seed quality assurance aimed at making a robust quality conscious seed supply system in the country.
NEW MEMBERS ORDINARY MEMBERS
Chamunda Agro Services
Jay Jalaram Seeds
Near Bus Stand, State Highway, Khedbrahma, Dist. S.K, Gujarat
At & Po. Timbagam, Ta.Godhra, Distt. Panchmahal-381710 Gujarat
Kisan Traders
Dharti Agro Centre
Somnath Complex, B/h State Bank of India Khedbrahma-383255 (Guj)
Main Bazar, Suzan Shopping Centre, Panthawada Ta. Dantiwada (Guj)
Avkar Traders
Shraddha Agro Centre
Sardar Chowk, Khedbrahma (Guj)
Nagarpalika Shopping Complex, Near GEB Kaloi, Ta. Kaloi, Distt. Panchmahal
Gayatri Pesticides
Brahmani Ginning & Processing Plant
Opp. Taluka Panchayat, Jawanpura, Idar-383430 Distt. Sabarkantha (Gujarat)
At & Po. Kunvarva, Ta. Kankrej, Distt. Banaskantha-385550 (Guj)
Umiya Fertilizers
Kisan Fertilizers
At & Po. Jadar, Ta. Idar, Distt. Sabarkantha (Gujarat)
C/o Indian Agro Industries, B/h GIDC, At & Po. Mansa, Ta. Gandhinagar (Gujarat)
Shree Ganesh Traders
KTL Seeds Farm Pvt. Ltd.
Opp. Bank of Baroda, At & Post. Bodeli, (Alipura) Ta; Sankhed, Distt. Baroda Guj
Vill+ P.o. Hatgobindapur, Dist. Burdwan-714407 (W.B)
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NEW MEMBERS ORDINARY MEMBERS
B & V Agro Irrigation Co.
Vokkal Seeds
Plot No. A-508, Mahape, MIDC, T.T.C.Post, M.B. Park, Navi Mumbai-400710
No. 20, 3rd Main Road, 11th Block, 2nd Stage, BDA Layout, Nagarabhavi, Bangalore-560072
Sood Seeds Co. Pvt. Ltd.
Bhatia Seeds Agrotech
Sood Colony, Bazpur-262401 (U.K)
Village-Nagla Roran, Indri, Karnal (Haryana)
Taramaa Seed Company
Green Vision Agritech
Vill- Balarampur, P.O. Hatbasantapur, P.S. Arambagh, Dist. Hooghly, Pin-712413 (W.B)
#8-85, Ankapur (Vill) Mandal Armoor, Dist. Nizamabad, A.P-503224
Kalimata Seed Farm
Krushi Traders
Vill. & P.o. Salepur (Panchmail) Arambagh, Hooghly-712616 (W.B)
Shankheshwar Complex, Idar-383430 Distt. Sabarkantha (Gujarat)
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NEW MEMBERS ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Guruprupa Traders
Maa Traders
Opp. Bus Stop, Shop No.12, At 7 Po.Bodeli (Alipura) Ta.Sankheda Dist. Baroda (Gujarat)
At. Ganjipura, Po. Targol, Ta. Sankheda Distt. Baroda (Guj)
Rabo India Finance
Manisha Biotech Seed Pvt. Ltd.
GF/A-3-B, Ground Floor, Building No.9, Tower A, DLF Cyber City, Phase III, Gurgaon-122002
G-3, Maya Apartment, Ahinsa Nagar, Aurangabad - 431001 (M.S)
BASF India Limited
CCR Agro Seeds Pvt. Ltd.
402,4th Floor, Gowra Grand, Secunderabad-50003
Kuldeep Bhawan, Krishna Nagar, Hisar (Haryana)
Bharat Seeds Corporation
New Ronak Seeds Corporation
85, Indra Market, Old Subzi Mandi, Delhi-110007
58, Indra Market, Old Subzi Mandi, Delhi-110007
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