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Seed Certification Guidelines

Seed Certification Guidelines

SEED

Seed is a basic input for the multiplication of its progeny. The specific definition of seed may be referred as a reproductive structure of flowering plant, conifers and various other plants. It develops from a fertilized ovule and comprises an embryo and a food reserve contained in a protective coat or testa.

There are five classes of seed:

1. Nucleus seed: This is the initial amount of pure seed of an improved rarely available with the concerned plant breeder. It is always cent percent pure genetically as well as physically, and is very limited in quantity. It is produced under the direct supervision of plant breeder at the main breeding station.

2. Breeder's stock seed: This is the seed obtained from the progeny of nucleus seed. It is also produced under the strict supervision of concerned plant breeder at the main breeding station and is cent percent pure genetically.

3. Foundation/Mother seed: This is the name given to the seed obtained from the seed multiplication farms. Any seed, which is produced in Govt. multiplication farm, is usually called as foundation seed irrespective of whether it has been produced directly from nucleus seed or breeder seed. It is not pure as nucleus and breeder seed.

4. Registered seed: This is the name given to the seed raised from progeny of anyone of three aforementioned categories of seed multiplication. The registered growers are selected from the progressive educated farmers and are entrusted with the work of seed multiplication. They are given instruction by technical staff and issued the improved seed for further multiplication. They grow the crop as per instruction. The staff of certifying agencies inspects the crop from time to time up 0 harvesting and threshing. After threshing the seed is purchased by govt. at already fixed price and handed over to the distributing agency.

5. Certified seed: It is the name given to any seed that has certified by certifying agencies as a good seed for sale and distribution to farmers. This not necessarily the progeny of improved seed but is good in physical qualities to meet the farmers requirements. It has been observed that the seed distributed to farmers in blocks is generally called as certified sed. This seed is actually the progeny of registered seed. Certified seed can be produced by any farmers but must be approved and certified by certifying agencies and seed testing authority for distribution as a certified seed.

Other seeds:

6. Terminator seed: Those which would give a normal crop in one season, but the saved seeds from the crop fail to germinate for the next crop.

7. Hybrid seed: Seeds produced by hybridization i.e. by crossing two or more homozygous inbred lines to obtain a desirable type having high yielding potential.

Only f₁ generation of hybrids is recommended for use as seed for commercial production.

8. Composite seed: Seeds are produced by inter-crossing a number of selected varieties by making germplasm complexes.

Composites possess the genetic potential of high level of production and are comparatively more stable than hybrid. This seed need not to replace after F1 generation for commercial production

9. Mutant seed: Seeds are produced by mutation breeding with the help of mutagenic agent.

Mutant seeds have greater potential in yield with superior quality and are stable than hybrid and composite.

10. Improved seed: Seeds have at least 10-25% more genetic potential and resistant to pests and diseases and are adapted to agro-climatic conditions of the locality and highly responsible to better condition of growth.

MINIMUM GENERAL GUIDELINES OF SEED CERTIFICATION IN FIELD CONDITION FOR THE MAJOR CROPS OF SIKKIM

Sl. No.	CROPS	LAND REQUIREMENT	FIELD INSPECTION		FIELD STANDARD
			No. of visit	Stage of visit	Contaminants	Isolation distance (mt.)
1.	Paddy	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	I. When crop approaches flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	3
				2. When ready for harvest	2. Field of same variety not conforming to varietal purity requirements for certification.	3
2.	Wheat	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	1. During ear emergence	1. Field of other varieties.	3
				2. When ready for harvest	2 Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement- for certification.	3
					3. Field of wheat & other crop with infection of loose smut.	150
3.	Maize	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	2. During flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	200
					2 Field of same variety not conforming to varietal purity requirement for certification and teosinte.	200
4.	Barley	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	1. Ear emergency	1. Field of other varieties.	3
				2. Harvesting	2 Field of same variety not con- fonning to varietal purity requirement- for certification.	3
					3. Field of Barley with infection of loose smut.	150
5.	Kodo Millet	Free from volunteer plant & others	3	1. during flowering flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	3
				2. Maturity	2. Field of same variety not conforming to varietal purity requirements for certification.	3
				3. Prior to harvesting	3. Off type	0.10% (max)
6.	Rajmah	Free from volunteer plant & others	3	1. Before flowering.	1. Field of other varieties.	5
				2. During flowering	2 Field of same variety not conforming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	5
					3. Off type	0.20%(max)
					4. Plant affected by seed borne disease.	0.20%(max)
7.	Rape & Mustard	Free from volunteer plant & others	3.	1. Before flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	50
				2. Flowering to fruiting	2 Field of same variety not conforming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	50
					3. Field of the other spices of genus Brassica. 4. Off type	0.50%(Max)

					5. Objectionable weed plants	0.50% (Max)
8.	Soybean	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	1. During Emergence	1. Field of other varieties	3
				2. Before harvesting after the leaves have shed	2. Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	3
					3. Off type	0.50%
9.	Black gram		2	1. Before flowering	1. Field of other varieties	5
				2. Flowering and fruiting stages	2. Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirements	5
					3. Off type	0.20%(max)
10.	Green gram	Free from volunteer plant & others	2	1. Before flowering.	1. Field of other varieties	5
				2. Flowering and fruiting stages	2. Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	5
					3. Off type	0.20%(max)
11.	Rice bean	Free from volunteer plant & others	3	1. Before flowering.	1. Field of other varieties	20
				2.At flowering stage	2. Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	20
				3.Fruiting stage	3. Off type	0.20%
12.	Pigeon nut	Free from volunteer plant	2	Inspection shall be made in such a way that at least one of them is made during flowering.	I. Field of other varieties.	100
					2 Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	100
					3.Off type	0.20%(max)
13.	Pea	Free from volunteer plant	3	1. Before flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	5
				2. Flowering	2 Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	5
				3. Edible pod stage.	3.Off type	0.20%(max)
14.	Cow pea	Free from volunteer plant	3	1. Before flowering	1. Field of other varieties.	5
				2. Flowering and fruiting stages	2 Field of same variety not con- forming to varietal purity requirement for certification.	5
					3.Off type	0.20%(max)

NB : Besides this, inspection during sowing and harvesting is essential irrespective of all crops and varieties. For detail may contact Field Crop section. Deptt. of Agri.

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