“SYSTEM OF VARIETY RELEASE AND NOTIFICATION, TYPES OF SEEDS AND THEIR PRODUCTION” ( Seminar Synopsis)

UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, BANGALORE

DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING

M.Sc. Seminar - GPB 582 (0+1)

“SYSTEM OF VARIETY RELEASE AND NOTIFICATION, TYPES OF SEEDS AND THEIR PRODUCTION”

SYNOPSIS

The transformation of agricultural production in India has been largely driven by the development and adoption of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) and hybrids of several crops. This advancement was made possible through the parallel establishment of institutional systems for crop breeding research and seed production. A unique, multidisciplinary approach centered around multilocation testing played a pivotal role in rapidly generating and identifying suitable HYVs and developing improved agronomic practices tailored to diverse agro-ecological regions.³

The process of releasing a strain as a variety encompasses four distinct stages: (1) development, (2) evaluation, (3) identification, and (4) release and notification. For a variety to be officially released, it must be approved by either the Central or a State Variety Sub-Committees. Notification, published in the Gazette of India, is a regulatory provision ensuring seed quality. Only after notification does a released variety enter the formal seed chain, including breeder, foundation, and certified seed stages culminating in its distribution to farmers. In hybrid rice production, India employs the Cytoplasmic Genetic Male Sterility (CGMS) system, which involves three stages of multiplication.

Genetically modified (GM) crops in India are regulated under the 1989 Rules framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has implemented a specific regulatory mechanism (EBAM) for Bt-cotton hybrids expressing approved events.²

A significant policy shift by the Government of India exempts genome-edited plants that are free of foreign genes (classified as SDN-1 and SDN-2) from being regulated as transgenic organisms, allowing their open field testing and further development. However, SDN-3 plants, which involve the insertion of foreign DNA, continue to be regulated under the 1989 Rules, akin to traditional GMOs.¹

An example of successful varietal development is HD 3226 (wheat), released for commercial cultivation in the North Western Peninsular Zone. It demonstrates high yield potential and strong resistance to stripe rust and leaf rust under normal sown irrigated conditions.

While the existing rules for field testing and variety release remain fixed unless formally revised, breeders can accelerate crop improvement by focusing on line development. Emerging approaches like speed breeding, when integrated with modern breeding tools, offer a promising pathway to significantly reduce generation time and fast-track variety development compared to conventional methods.

REFERENCES:

1. SHARMA, N., THAKUR, K., ZINTA, R., MANGAL, V., TIWARI, J.K., SOOD, S., DUTT, S., KUMAR, V., SINGH, B. AND THAKUR, A.K., 2025, Genome editing research initiatives and regulatory landscape of genome edited crops in India. Transgenic Res, 34(1): 1-18

2. SHUKLA, M., AL-BUSAIDI, K.T., TRIVEDI, M. AND TIWARI, R.K., 2018, Status of research, regulations and challenges for genetically modified crops in India. GM crops & food, 9(4): 173-188

3. TANDON, J.P., SHARMA, S.P., SANDHU, J.S., YADAVA, D.K., PRABHU, K.V. AND YADAV, O.P., 2015, Guidelines for testing crop varieties under the all-India coordinated crop improvement projects. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India, 261.