Introduction

The journey of organized agricultural research in India dates back to 1871, when the British Government established the Department of Agriculture in the erstwhile British provinces (Pingali, 2012). Since then, agriculture in the country has seen remarkable transformations, particularly in the field of plant breeding. One of the key aspects of agricultural research in India has been genetic research, which plays a crucial role in improving crop yields. The introduction of improved varieties under cultivation has led to increased crop yields by 10–15%, providing a significant boost to food production (ICAR, 2021; FAO, 2020).

The Early Years of Plant Breeding in India

Until the early 1950s, varietal improvement in India was largely confined to pure-line selection and mass selection techniques. The real shift occurred in 1965 with the introduction of semi-dwarf, photo-insensitive high-yielding rice varieties such as IR8, marking the beginning of the Green Revolution (Swaminathan, 2006; ICAR, 2019). These varieties, in conjunction with nitrogen fertilizers and irrigation, revolutionized rice cultivation in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) played a leading role in coordinating research efforts across state agricultural universities and regional research centers. Over time, the private sector began investing heavily in crop improvement, leading to a dual system of public-private plant breeding.

A major public-private collaboration emerged in January 2019, when ICAR and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched a national mega project:
"Application of Next-Generation Breeding, Genotyping and Digitalization Approaches for Improving the Genetic Gain in Indian Staple Crops" (ICAR-Gates Foundation, 2019).

Current State of Seed and Plant Breeding Market in India

Despite progress, India’s seed and plant breeding market still trails developed nations such as the USA, Germany, and China, where advanced breeding technologies and commercial seed systems are more widely implemented (OECD, 2022).

The uneven distribution of Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) across Indian states remains a significant issue. SRR is high in progressive agricultural states like Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, but remains low in regions practicing traditional seed-saving methods (DAC&FW, 2021).

Several challenges hinder uniform seed adoption:

  • Lack of farmer awareness
  • Poor access to quality certified seeds
  • High seed cost
  • Small land holdings (FAO, 2020; ICRISAT, 2021)

Efforts by central and state governments, including schemes like National Seed Mission, aim to address these gaps.

Regional Contributions to Plant Breeding

States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka have emerged as innovation hubs in plant breeding.

  • Maharashtra contributes nearly 17% of India’s total agri-R&D investment, and is home to major private seed companies such as Mahyco, Metahelix, and Rasi Seeds (RBI, 2023).
  • Andhra Pradesh contributes more than 12%, particularly in hybrid seed production and vegetable breeding.
  • Karnataka is noted for public-private research in drought-resilient and biofortified crops (ICRISAT Annual Report, 2022).

Key Crops in India’s Seed and Plant Breeding Market

The cereals and grains segment dominates the Indian seed market, accounting for approximately 50% of total market share. This includes major crops like rice, wheat, and maize, which have seen substantial genetic gains (FICCI-PwC Report, 2021).

Other notable segments include:

  • Oilseeds (e.g., soybean, mustard)
  • Pulses (e.g., pigeonpea, chickpea)
  • Vegetables and fruits, expected to grow rapidly due to rising income levels, urbanization, and health consciousness.

This shift is pushing companies to invest more in marker-assisted selection, hybridization, and CRISPR-based gene editing in horticultural crops (NBPGR, 2023).

Conclusion

India’s plant breeding industry has progressed from colonial-era experiments to becoming a cornerstone of national food security. While challenges like low SRR and limited private sector outreach in remote areas persist, public-private partnerships, biotechnology, and farmer-centric policies are steering the sector toward sustainability.

With continued investment in next-generation breeding tools, India is poised to achieve greater genetic gain, agricultural resilience, and nutritional security.

References

  1. ICAR (2021). ICAR Annual Report 2020–21. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.

  2. FAO (2020). State of Food and Agriculture 2020. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

  3. Pingali, P. L. (2012). Green Revolution: Impacts, limits, and the path ahead. PNAS, 109(31), 12302–12308.

  4. Swaminathan, M. S. (2006). An Evergreen Revolution. The Hindu, November 2006.

  5. ICAR–Gates Foundation (2019). Next Generation Breeding Project in India. Press Release.

  6. DAC&FW (2021). Seed Replacement Rate Reports by State. Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, India.

  7. OECD (2022). Agricultural Innovation Systems: Country Profile – India.

  8. RBI (2023). Statewise Investment in Agricultural R&D. Reserve Bank of India Bulletin.

  9. ICRISAT (2021). Seed Systems in South Asia: Status and Challenges. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.

  10. FICCI-PwC (2021). Indian Seed Industry: Vision 2025. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

  11. NBPGR (2023). National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources: Research Update on Genomics and Breeding.