Seeds for Growth

Gap between potential and achievable food productivity in India:

1. Reasons for the gap in productivity especially in grain crops and vegetables:
   • High cost of production
   • Uncertain monsoon
   • Deterioration of soil fertility
   • Subsistence nature of farming
   • Increasing population year-on-year thus increasing the demand
   • Non-availability of quality seeds that lowers the potential of productivity
2. Demand for food grains is not met due to:
   • Ever-changing consumption and dietary patterns
   • Unaffordability to a large scale of population leading to large under/malnourished population (19.3% child wasting)

The Indian Seed Industry:

1. National seeds Corporation established in 1960s
   1. It is a Schedule ‘B’-Miniratna Category-I company wholly owned by Government of India.
   2. It functions under the administrative control of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
   3. It involves in production of certified seeds of nearly 567 varieties of 78 crops consisting of Cereals, Pulses, oilseeds, Fiber, Fodder, Green Manure and Vegetables, in its Farms and through its registered seed growers
   4. It produces 1.5 lakh tons of seed per year.
2. Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001
   1. Breeders’ Rights: Breeders will have exclusive rights to produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export the protected variety
   2. Researchers’ Rights: Researcher can use any of the registered variety under the Act for conducting experiment or research but repeated use of a variety needs prior permission.
   3. Farmers’ Rights: A farmer who has evolved or developed a new variety is entitled for registration and protection in like manner as a breeder of a variety.

3. Release of Bt cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation in 2002
4. Climate-resilient nutrient rich and suite to sustainable agriculture shall involve the cultivation of millets.
   1. India is the global leader in the millet production
   2. Millets especially minor millets having improved varieties can capture the global market.

Seed technology:

Introduction of Seed technology shall help in various manner:

1. Maximize the availability of seeds
2. Improve the quality of the seeds
3. Can help the seeds to perform well under a range of different conditions including biotic and abiotic stressors.
4. Increases the overall productivity
5. High input use efficiency.
6. Can lower the input cost of seeds, thus increasing affordability.

The seed technology comprises of:

1. Genetic manipulation in variety development
2. Priming or Physiological advancement protocols
   1. Ensures that seeds perform well under a wide range of growing conditions.
   2. Perfectly suits Agro-eco-regions that frequently experience moisture, temperature and other abiotic stressors or pest attacks.
3. Film coating, pelleting with or without active formulations
   1. The film coating shall involve pesticidal formulations that can provide better protection during germination and vegetative growth stages.
4. Seed treatments with biologicals or chemical pesticides having contact or systemic mode of action
5. Bio stimulants and nutrients for higher germination
6. Faster seedling establishments.

The Centre’s newly proposed Clean Green mission shall include a robust regulatory mechanism for quality seedlings and planting materials.

Link: Seeds for growth: How technology can boost Indian agriculture | The Indian Express