Varietal Testing and Authorisation Process

Candidate crop varieties are released only after they have undergone rigorous processes of testing. During testing, data are collected on the performance of the variety across a number of different soil types and agro-climatic conditions. Scientists compare the data with the performance data of other candidate varieties and a non-specific number of check varieties.

The check varieties are usually the best performing variety or varieties for the ACZ and soil environments for which the candidate varieties are being tested. One of the check varieties will often be the local desi, traditional/landrace, or local crop ‘variety’, which is popular with farmers in that region. At the end of each season the data on the candidate varieties are collated by the plant breeder and discussed in the relevant testing committees. If the

candidate variety has performed well and met the relevant criteria, it will be promoted to the next stage, subject to approval by the ZREAC committee. Each committee acts as arbiter for deciding whether the candidate varieties presented before it can pass on to the next level of testing (Yasin et al., 2006).

There are two systems of varietal testing and seed/variety certification: the state and national release systems. Both of these systems are closely linked to the public plant breeding

institutions so any private companies or NGOs wanting to lawfully release their own varieties still have to use these systems. Private companies and NGOs do have recourse to a clause within the Indian Seed Act (1966) that allows them to release seed outside of the public seed certification systems as long as it is labelled as Truthfully Labelled (TL) seed. In order for seed to be described as TL it must meet the minimum seed certification standards for genetic purity and be correctly labelled. Responsibility and liability for quality control is borne by the

company which produces and markets the seed.

Source: Author

Key: Grey boxes represent the Central varietal trial system. White Boxes represent the State varietal trials system. Arrows denote the progression of varietal testing. Dashed lines denote optional pathways a candidate variety can progress.

Figure 8 diagrammatically represents the state and national varietal release systems. Each state has a slightly different system for testing candidate varieties in terms of the names of stages, but they are very similar in structure. In the diagram the state system is represented principally by the white boxes and the national system by the grey boxes. One of the principle

Figure 8 - Flow Diagram of Central and State Varietal Testing Pathways

aims of plant breeders is to get their candidate variety released nationally since this carries higher professional prestige and the variety is more likely to be recommended for release across a wider area and therefore grown by more farmers. The starting box refers to an F-6 generation – this is a variety that is suitably stable enough to enter into the testing system, usually after five to six years.

The main pathway of plant breeding consists of a number of trial stages and committee meetings. In each meeting the results of crop trials are discussed by a committee which decides whether to reject the variety or promote it to the next level of trials. In the national testing and release system trial plans and results are discussed during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the relevant AICRP. At the state level trials are usually discussed as part of a seasonal ZREAC meeting – rather than in a crop specific workshop.

The Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) tests for a candidate variety are carried out across a number of years and are multi-locational. On the basis of DUS testing, a varietal descriptor is generated for identifying the variety in farmers’ fields and during seed inspection (Yasin et al., 2006). DUS testing is important for authorising new varieties as it ensures that all candidate varieties meet the definition of a crop variety. DUS criteria differ between crop species; cross pollinated and self-pollinated crops; hybrids and non-hybrids; however, the criterion for a particular crop type is set by national crop directorates and influenced by international standards (Ibid.).

When a candidate variety has been developed to a plant breeder’s satisfaction, they will trial the variety for one year on the research station where it was developed. This is the first stage of varietal testing and is generally called a preliminary yield trial (PYT). After each trial the results are discussed in the ZREAC and a case is made by the plant breeder for releasing the candidate variety. The role of the committee in this instance is to assess the trial data and release proposal in order to make sure that the data contained within it are scientifically valid and will be accepted at the next committee level. The committee will then make suggestions regarding altering the proposal or collecting more data to improve the case for varietal release.

In both the national and state trial systems, varietal testing is carried out for a minimum of three years. During this time several different trials may be carried out including research station trials; state multiplication trials; disease/pest screening trials; multi-locational trials;

agronomic / adaptive trials; minikit trials; on-farm trials and front-line demonstrations (FLDs).

In the national AICRP trial system the first trial is called the Initial Varietal Trial (IVT). In this trial all of the candidate varieties from across the country for a specific crop type are evaluated against each other in different ACZs. The IVT is designed to diminish the number of candidate varieties according to their yields. New varieties should improve on the yield of the current best variety by approximately 10% in order for them to be considered for release. The IVT will influence the different ACZs in which the candidate variety performs best. Should a candidate variety be successful in its IVT, it will be promoted to Advanced Varietal Trials (AVT) for two years. AVT trials will further test the performance of a candidate variety only in the ACZs in which it performed well during the IVT.

The state trial system is organised in a different way to the national AICRP system. After the PYT, multi-locational testing is carried out at different research stations across the state.

These research station trials are often called Station Varietal Trials (SVT) although the trial names and acronyms may differ slightly across states. The different research stations within the state are strategically situated within different ACZs and so mirror the multi-locational testing of the AICRP system albeit with fewer varieties and at fewer locations (Yasin et al., 2006). The state varietal trial system is similar to the central one in that each candidate variety requires a minimum of three years testing. However, it also has an adaptive component in that it is mandatory for candidate varieties to be tested on farmers’ land prior to release. In the past, front-line demonstrations (FLDs) using candidate varieties were carried out in conjunction with adaptive and on-farm trials prior to varietal release. In my research I found that this practice was almost non-existent, on account of a fear among scientists regarding the potential biopiracy of unfinished varieties by private organizations from farmers involved in the testing process. It is now therefore rare for researchers to receive feedback from farmers regarding their candidate variety prior to its actual release. The main role of FLDs is as an extension and popularisation tool as opposed to a mechanism by which researchers can gain insight into the suitability and desirability of their varieties with respect to different

demographics of farmers.

When a candidate variety successfully negotiates the central or state trial systems and proved its worth, it will be ‘identified’ by the relevant committee. The term ‘identification’ means that the candidate variety has been found by the committee to be superior to the current best varieties. The main criterion for superiority is grain yield and this is assessed across a number of ACZs in order to ascertain whether a variety’s performance is narrowly or broadly adapted.

Apart from yield, other factors that may be considered include: the degree of agro-environmental adaptability, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, quality attributes, responsiveness to inputs, and other economic traits. These factors constitute a candidate variety’s Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) and the degree to which these factors impact on the identification process is determined by the relevant committee and the plant breeding agenda of the supporting organization – the crop directorate in the case of AICRP or SAU at the state level.

Once a variety has been identified for release within the ZREAC or AGM, the release proposal will be written up on the relevant prescribed proforma before being presented to the relevant State or Central Varietal Release Committee - SVRC or CVRC respectively. The two committees differ in their jurisdiction with the SVRC being responsible for release of varieties within a particular state or zones within a state, and the CVRC being responsible for the release of varieties throughout the whole of India, or again within specific ACZs at a national level. The SVRC and CVRC make ‘recommendations’ for release of candidate varieties to the Central Sub- Committee on Crop Standard, Release and Notification of Varieties (CSC). The CSC screens all varietal release recommendations it receives before it declares them officially released through their “notification” in the National Gazette. Seed production of a variety can only be taken up by the relevant organizations only after it has been notified.