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Egyptian clover/Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is the most popular winter leguminous multi-cut fodder crop widely cultivated in the northwest and central parts of India. Quality seed significantly impacts farm productivity, farmers’ profitability, and socioeconomic welfare. Foundation and certified seeds enable high-quality seed production, making breeder seed (BS) the most important link in the seed supply chain. In India, berseem BS indent had increased from 1998 - 99 to 2012–13; afterwards, it followed a constant but decreasing trend. Of the 27 notified cultivars, 24 came into the seed supply chain between 1998–1999 and 2021–2022, indicating high varietal availability to stakeholders. The study examines the potential causes of the national decline in BS indent and production and the differences in these figures over time. The highest BS indent was received for the variety JB-1 (276.1 q), followed by BL-10 (205.1 q), Mescavi (165.6 q) and Wardan (153.7 q) from 1998 - 99 to 2021–22. The varietal replacement rate (VRR) is high, 43.30 %, for the varieties that have reached the age of five or less in the recent three years (2019–20 to 2021–22). Additionally, it has been calculated that if the seed chain operates at 100 % efficiency, the BS generated (48.1q) in 2021–22 can cover an area of almost 0.12 million hectares in 2024–25. The study offers an in-depth overview of berseem BS indent and production, an analysis of the difficulties encountered in BS production, and future directions for expanding variety and producing excess BS in the nation.

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is the second most significant winter leguminous fodder crop after berseem in India. Breeder seed (BS) is the first stage of the seed production chain, as it is the base material for producing foundation and certified seeds. In India, lucerne BS demand has been reduced by 85.58% during the last 24 years (1998-1999 to 2021-2022), declining from 2150 kg to 310 kg. Out of 14 varieties released and notified so far, only nine varieties entered the seed chain since 1998-1999. It shows narrow varietal diversification and, hence, needs robust breeding programs towards enriching genetic variability and varietal development. The present study also highlights the disparity in BS demand and production over the years and puts forth the possible reasons behind the reduction in BS demand and production in the country. Out of the nine varieties, the BS demand of Anand-2 (53.11%) was highest, followed by Type-9 (19.44%) and RL-88 (13.60%). Varietal replacement rate (VRR) was found to be moderate, i.e., 23.67% for the varieties having <5 years old age in the last 3 years (2019-2020 to 2021-2022). It has also been estimated that BS produced (233 kg) during 2021-2022 can cover the approximate area of 6,300 ha at farmers' fields in 2024-2025 if the seed chain functions 100%, effectively. The present study provides a holistic overview of lucerne BS demand and production, challenges in BS production, and the way forward to develop more varieties and surplus BS production in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is the second most significant winter leguminous fodder crop after berseem in India. Breeder seed (BS) is the first stage of the seed production chain, as it is the base material for producing foundation and certified seeds. In India, lucerne BS demand has been reduced by 85.58% during the last 24 years (1998–1999 to 2021–2022), declining from 2150 kg to 310 kg. Out of 14 varieties released and notified so far, only nine varieties entered the seed chain since 1998–1999. It shows narrow varietal diversification and, hence, needs robust breeding programs towards enriching genetic variability and varietal development. The present study also highlights the disparity in BS demand and production over the years and puts forth the possible reasons behind the reduction in BS demand and production in the country. Out of the nine varieties, the BS demand of Anand-2 (53.11%) was highest, followed by Type-9 (19.44%) and RL-88 (13.60%). Varietal replacement rate (VRR) was found to be moderate, i.e., 23.67% for the varieties having

Jute and allied fibres viz., mesta including kenaf, roselle, ramie, sunhemp, sisal and flax are important industrial crops and the sources of livelihood of about 4 million farm families and supports direct employment to about 3.7 lakh workers. They accounted for about 0.36%, 0.51% and 0.45 of the gross-, net cropped area and total arable land, respectively, in India during 2018-19. The contribution of jute crop to the global acreage and production during 2018 was 49.4% and 53.7%, respectively. Its contribution to global production was reduced to 50.5% during 2019. The present paper analyses the growth of jute and allied crops during 1950-51 to 2020-21; scenario of area, production and yield; breeding and seed production during 2010-11-2021-22. The Compound Annual Growth rate was 0.21%, 1.52% and 1.31%, respectively, for area, production and yield during 1950-51 to 2020-21. The area and production of jute and allied fibres have decreased substantially during the last 12 years despite the enhancement of yield ha-1 from 2197 kg ha-1 in 2010-11 to 2709 kg ha-1 in 2021-22. Of the total 310 varieties of fibre crops (including cotton) released and notified during 2011-23, 43 were of these crops. In jute, leading varieties in the seed chain contributing highest to the breeder seed indent, such as Navin, Suren (JRO 204) and JRO 128 were old released during 1978, 2007 and 2002, respectively, and very old varieties released up to 1995 had a considerably high share in breeder seed indent during 2021-22. During the period under study (2014-15 to 2021-22), there was no indent for breeder seed production of mesta except in 2016-17 and 2021-22 and against the indent of 0.5 q for two varieties, Satyen (JRKM 9-1, released in 2016) and Central Kenaf 2 (JBMP 2, released in 2016), 1.7 q breeder seed was produced during 2016-17. But, during 2021-22 only 22 kg breeder seed against the indent of 9 kg for three varieties HC7910 (Ujjal), released during 1977; HS 4288, released during 1967 and JRM 5 (Shrestha), released during 2010, was produced. In sunhemp, only five varieties, SUIN 037, SUIN 053, JRG 610 (Prankur), PAU 1691 and Chhindwara 1 (Jabalpur 1) were indented for breeder seed production from 2016-17 to 2021-22 released during 2013, 2009, 2015, 2008 and 1973, respectively. Therefore, old varieties for jute and sunhemp need to be replaced in the seed chain. However, no systematic seed production is being followed for other fibre crops like mesta, ramie, sisal and flax. Public sector organizations contributed only up to 30% of the seed requirement of jute in the country. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase the share of the public sector in seed production to ensure 'seed security' as well as its affordability and timely availability. The possibility should also be explored for jute seed production in areas close to the proximity to the area of cultivation by incentivizing seed production. Systematic seed/planting materials production of other crops such as ramie, sisal and flax that have very low acreage but important fibre crops with specific niches of cultivation should also be initiated / strengthened to ensure availability of quality seed/planting materials to the farmers. Since these are industrial crops, therefore, there is an urgent need to develop linkages with private sector especially textile industry, Farmers' Producing Organizations and Non-Government Organizations for enhancing production of seed/planting materials and also expanding them in new niches by developing suitable models and incentivizing production of fibres from these crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane (Saccharum species complex) is an important industrial crop in India, and it contributed 6.8% to the total export earnings from agricultural products during 2020–21. India ranked second after Brazil in terms of area and production of sugarcane and accounted for 17.5% and 19.4% of the global acreage and production, respectively. This paper presents the scenario of sugarcane growth in India during 1950–51 to 2020–21, varietal development, diversity in seed chain and breeder seed production during the last 11 years. The area under sugarcane cultivation increased by 184.2% (1.71 mha in 1950–51 to 4.86 mha in 2020–21), while cane production registered an increase of 599.8% (57.05 MT in 1950–51 to 399.25 MT in 2020–21). An appreciable yield improvement (82.2 t/ha in 2020–21) compared to 33.4 t/ha in (1950–51) could be the major driver for such manifold increase in sugarcane production. The annual compound growth rate in the last decade was 4.67%, 10.33%, 10.70%, 6.78% and 11.71% for cane area, production, yield, sugar recovery and sugar production, respectively. The release and notification of 139 high yielding and high sugar content varieties by Central Sub-committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties for Agricultural Crops since the notification was adapted in 1969, reflect robust sugarcane varietal development programme executed under the aegis of All India Coordinated Research Project on Sugarcane (AICRP-S). About 54.7% (76) of these high yielding varieties have been developed and released during the last 11 years (2011–21). The number of sugarcane varieties grown across 17 states of the country varied from 114 (2011–12) to 146 (2018–19), and Uttar Pradesh had the highest varietal diversity in the seed chain followed by Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Maharashtra. The breeder seed production from 2010–11 to 2020–21 increased consistently, despite annual fluctuations and was higher by 10.8% in 2011–12 to 95.5% in 2019–20 than that of the base year (2010–11). In the last 11 years, Uttar Pradesh contributed the highest breeder seed production which ranged from 50.1% (2010–11) to 71.8% (2013–14). This status paper discusses the possible impact of the sugarcane varietal development and seed/variety replacement by analysing trends in area, production, yield, foreign exchange earnings through sugar export and net per capita sugar availability during the last decade. Future crop outlook and strategies to bridge the widening gap in sugar demand and supply in the country are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egyptian clover/Berseem ( Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is the most popular winter leguminous multi-cut fodder crop widely cultivated in the northwest and central parts of India. Quality seed significantly impacts farm productivity, farmers' profitability, and socioeconomic welfare. Foundation and certified seeds enable high-quality seed production, making breeder seed (BS) the most important link in the seed supply chain. In India, berseem BS indent had increased from 1998 - 99 to 2012-13; afterwards, it followed a constant but decreasing trend. Of the 27 notified cultivars, 24 came into the seed supply chain between 1998-1999 and 2021-2022, indicating high varietal availability to stakeholders. The study examines the potential causes of the national decline in BS indent and production and the differences in these figures over time. The highest BS indent was received for the variety JB-1 (276.1 q), followed by BL-10 (205.1 q), Mescavi (165.6 q) and Wardan (153.7 q) from 1998 - 99 to 2021-22. The varietal replacement rate (VRR) is high, 43.30 %, for the varieties that have reached the age of five or less in the recent three years (2019-20 to 2021-22). Additionally, it has been calculated that if the seed chain operates at 100 % efficiency, the BS generated (48.1q) in 2021-22 can cover an area of almost 0.12 million hectares in 2024-25. The study offers an in-depth overview of berseem BS indent and production, an analysis of the difficulties encountered in BS production, and future directions for expanding variety and producing excess BS in the nation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Oilseeds in India accounted for 15.7% of the total arable land during 2017-18. The present paper discusses oilseeds and vegetable oil scenario in India; seed chain, current status of quality seed and strategies for seed production & development to enhance oilseeds output through bridging the vast untapped potential of the available technologies to reduce heavy dependence on oil imports. Of the nine annual oilseeds, groundnut, soybean, rapeseed-mustard and sesame during the last seven years (2012-13 to 2018-19) contributed 89.2-94.4% to acreage and 90.4%-95.0% to production of oilseeds. The area, production and yield of oilseeds attained an overall increase of 131.1%, 510.9% and 164.2%, respectively, from 1950-51 to 2018-19. Of the several programmes initiated to harness the vast exploitable yield reservoir of oilseeds, National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology launched during XII plan and Mega seed project during 2005-06, had great impact on enhanced availability of quality seed of newly released varieties and thus production of oilseeds. Considering annual growth of demand for edible oil, population growth and the per capita consumption of about 102.3 m t of oilseeds would be required by 2030. To meet this formidable challenge, the assets such as vibrant crop specific improvement programmes, 187 newly released high yielding varieties, improved crop management technologies, robust and effective seed chain and climate favouring seed production of diverse oilseeds are available in the country.

Since independence, India achieved a distinction from ship-to-mouth status to self dependent, food surplus and net exporter of food grains in 69 years and recorded an all time high (285.2 million tonnes) production during 2018-19 from meagre 50.8 mt during 1950-51. In spite of spectacular success in food production over the years, it is a great challenge to sustain high production as well as enhance it further to meet the future requirement, as the population continues to grow steadily with an annual growth rate of 1.10% and expected to be 1.42 billion and 1.48 billion by 2025 and 2030, respectively, from 1.32 billion during 2017; coupled with enhanced consumption of food grains due to rising income, necessitating an increase of 4.5% and 15.7% by 2020 and 2030, respectively, over the present food production. It is a great challenge in view of climate change, diminishing and degrading land and water resources, increasing biotic and abiotic stresses and loss of bio-diversity. The present paper discusses the trend of production and productivity of food crops from 1950-51 to 2018-19; assess the contribution of seed to food production, seed chain, quality seed production and scope of quality seed for enhancing farmers’ income and future strategies for seed research, production and development to sustain food production. Requisite assets such as a strong crop specific cultivar development programmes, 850 high yielding food crop varieties comprising 657 of cereals and 193 of pulses released during the last six years, robust and vibrant seed systems, quality regulatory mechanism, globally competitive seed sector and the largest arable land with 46 soil types across 15 agro-climatic zones favouring seed production of diverse crops are available for sustaining high food production and meet the future demand for seed and food. Ensuring availability of quality seed in adequate quantity though imperative, yet, itself is not enough to trigger the production if it is not coupled with achieving sufficient varietal diversity in seed chain preferably phasing out gradually the old and obsolete varieties and inducting recently developed high yielding and disease resistant varieties. The overall progress and outcome are largely dependent on Government policies and support, which require consistent and adequate financial resources for sustaining a vibrant seed production, farm power machinery, processing units, storage, seed testing, delivery systems and trained human resources besides remunerative prices to the farmers.

Selecting genotypes that combine high productivity with high seed quality is a challenge. The exploration of intracultivar genetic variation is an alternative to significantly increase the annual genetic gain and maximize the selection efficiency for both characteristics. The present study aimed to identify intracultivar variation to improve the seed quality of soybean genotypes derived from the commercial cultivar BRS 284, selected using the HSD (Honeycomb Selection Designs) model. Soybean genotypes selected for two years from two environments with contrasting edaphoclimatic characteristics, according to the principles of the HSD selection model, were cultivated under competition by using the experimental model in randomized blocks with four replicates and evaluated regarding the productivity and physiological quality of seeds. The results showed that genotype 284-3 presented a greater mass of 100 seeds, germination, vigour after accelerated ageing test, seedling emergence and emergence speed index than the other genotypes in both environments, with no significant difference in the standard cultivar regarding seed yield. The HSD method was an efficient selection method to identify intracultivar variation to improve cultivar performance.

Rice is the staple cereal crop of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with annual paddy production of 12,600 t. The annual rice requirement of the Island populace is around 60,000 t. Therefore, additional requirement of about 47,400 t has to be met by shipment from mainland or enhancing local production. The present per capita availability of rice in the Islands is 40.12 g day -1 (14.64 kg yr -1) against the requirement of 175.6 g day -1 (64.1 kg yr -1) which is a cause of concern. To meet out the rice requirement, yield enhancement through varietal improvement is very crucial. The ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair has produced a total of 2.35 t breeder seed and 32.23 t truthfully labelled seed of rice under ICAR-Seed Project and distributed to farmers through “Seed Village Concept” during 2010-17. Thus, seed replacement rate (SRR) of rice has increased to 10.2% from 1.5%, but still there are miles to go ahead to meet the requirement. About 80% of farmers are still using their own farm saved seed. To enhance the rice production, seed chain should be strengthened which not only increases the productivity due to improved seed but also lead to quality control. Farmers’ participatory mode of seed production could be a better approach to ensure quality seed and farmers should be trained for establishment of seed villages at community level. Adoption of improved agro-techniques could enhance rice production in the Islands. Marketing and post-harvest facilities should be strengthened by government through establishing the procurement system on the basis of minimum support price (MSP) and mini-modern rice mills in the Islands, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new cultivars is the ultimate goal of breeding programs and is the result of many years of hard work and dedication of breeders and their teams. An important part of the process, often neglected by geneticists, is the stage from recommendation to the production of breeder seed (post-breeding). This paper discusses the role of the breeder in the recommendation, registration, protection and marketing of new cultivars. The breeder’s active participation in all phases of post-breeding is fundamental to ensure that the cultivar reaches farmers quickly and can provide the benefits expected by society

Yield losses occurring at the field level, whether due to plant diseases or abiotic stresses, reveal reduced stability of the crop yield potential. The paper argues that the stability of crop yield potential is a trait with a clear genetic component, which can be successfully selected for at the single-plant level and incorporated into high-yielding cultivars. Two novel selection equations with prognostic power are presented, capable to objectively phenotype and evaluate individual plants in real field conditions in the absence of the masking effects of interplant competition and soil heterogeneity. The equations predict performance at the crop stand through the key concept of coefficient of homeostasis and are equally useful for early generation selection and for nonstop selection within finished cultivars in order to continuously incorporate the adaptive (genetic or epigenetic) responses of plants. Exploitation of adaptive responses acquires particular importance in view of the climate change effects on crop productivity and the changing biotic or abiotic micro-environments. Cotton is used as a case study to highlight the potential of nonstop selection for increasing crop yield and for the gradual build-up of disease resistance. In addition, the paper envisions and proposes the formation of international networks of researchers focusing on specific diseases as, for example, the cereal root-rot or the cotton Verticillium wilt that will concurrently use the proposed strategy in their respective environments to select for resistant genotypes, while gaining a deeper understanding of the nature of the genetic or epigenetic changes at the phenotypic and genomic levels.

Although potato is an important food and cash crop globally, its production in developing countries is hampered by constraints such as low soil fertility, pest and diseases and inadequate supply of good quality seed tubers. Lack of good quality seed is mostly a consequent of the prevailing seeds system; in most developing countries, majority of farmers recycle their own seeds or get them from informal sources. This leads to seed degeneration and build up of tuber-borne diseases and hence low yields. In mitigating the problem of shortage of good quality seeds, strategies to rapidly multiply the seed tubers such as tissue culture in conjunction with hydroponic and aeroponic systems have been tried. These technologies needs to be given serious thought and should be promoted in most developing countries so as to increase potato yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalence of Bacterial Stripe Organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, in Breeder Rice Seed Samples from Burkina Faso. Nine rice seed samples of improved and local varieties were tested at DGISP (Denmark) for the incidence of seed-borne bacterial stripe organism, Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, using the cassette holder method. Twenty-six suspected bacterial colonies were identified by different methods including colony morphology, pigmentation, biochemical and pathogenicity tests. Using Biolog GN computer identification system, isolates were also identified as A. avenae subsp. avenae (sim 0.51 to 0.9). All the 26 isolates reacted positively in ELISA tests performed with antiserum against A. avenae subsp. avenae. The bacterium was detected in all the samples, except in that of the local variety, indicating that seeds of improved varieties are highly infected by this pathogen. Seedlings raised from infected seed samples showed typical bacterial stripe symptoms with infection rates ranging from 4.7 to 20.1%. Since such seeds are used for production of certified rice seed, it is important to develop an effective control strategy against this disease to reduce the propagation of the bacterial agent in other healthy regions of rice culture in Burkina Faso.

Improved cultivars loose their identity and healthiness unless maintained properly. Contaminating and degrading forces, such as outcrossing, volunteer plants, mixing, natural selection, mutation and seed-borne diseases, are at the root of this. Maintenance selection can prevent this deterioration. How it is carried out depends on the reproduction system of the crop. Crops are therefore classified into four categories; typical cross-pollinating crops, self-pollinating crops with a substantial amount of outcrossing, typical self-pollinating crops with little outcrossing, and the vegetatively reproduced crops. Generally some of the “breeder seed” is used to plant a small plot with spaced plants. A fair number of healthy plants of the cultivar type is selected and the seed is harvested per plant. The progenies of the selected plants are grown in small plots. Non-uniform or deviating plots and plots with a seed-borne disease are removed. The seed of the progenies that are healthy, uniform and similar (and so of the cultivar type) are harvested per progeny to be tested next season on larger plots. The same selection is applied and only the seed of the progenies that are healthy, uniform and similar are harvested together to produce the “breeder seed”. The details of this maintenance selection vary with the reproduction system, the multiplication rate of the crop and the possibilities available to the breeder. Seven crops, potato, common bean, barley, wheat, faba bean, quinoa and maize are discussed here as they represent the different reproduction systems and multiplication rates, while being important Andean food crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The greatest challenge to ensure global food security is sustained agriculture growth that not only helps in increased crop productivity but also caters the food and nutritional demand of burgeoning population. Development, deployment and diffusion of efficient technologies in terms of climate resilience, efficient resource utilization and high yielding varieties/hybrids are required to attain desired growth that ultimately alleviate poverty and vulnerability posed by climate change effects. Genetic enhancements made by crop improvement can be translated into higher productivity with deployment of newly developed varieties. Although new varieties are continuously being introduced into the seed chain but varietal scenario at times is dominated by few varieties having major percentage share in the total indented breeder seed/basic seed requirement. Almost in all the crops, some of the old varieties still occupy the prominent position by virtue of achieving mega variety status. Besides, various institutional, environmental, socio-economic and technical constraints are persisting, which impedes in up-scaling the varietal replacement rates in developing countries. To accelerate varietal replacement rate, several strategies such as pre-breeding, participatory plant breeding, maintenance breeding, quality seed systems and policy support are quintessential. Thus, in the review, challenges associated in hindering VRR and strategies to be deployed for increasing VRR have been illustrated. Adoption of these strategies could envisage higher varietal replacement rate and ultimately higher crop productivity among climate change. • VRR is an essential factor to have genetic gains for crop productivity. • Varietal replacement rate is hindered due to cropping pattern and varietal age. • Rapid breeding cycles and quality seed systems are essential to enhance VRR. • Interlinking and exchange of elite germplasm can enhance VRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]