Guidelines for Release/Notification, Provisional Notification and De-notification of Cultivars

The object and scope of the Seeds Act is to provide for regulating the quality of certain notified seeds for sale and for marketing and for the matters connected therewith. Coming within the range of the Act and Rules go on to make specific to such seeds as have been notified, i.e., where the determination has been made to control their quality.

Purpose of Release

The purpose of Release of cultivars is to introduce the newly evolved varieties to the public for general cultivation in the region in which it is suitable. It enables the farmers to choose cultivars for cultivation in a region. In other words, release of a cultivar is in the nature of a recommendation to the farmers for its adoption. Therefore, notification of a variety is linked to the release of a variety, though the release process itself does not have statutory cover.

Official Release of the Cultivars at Central and State Levels

The practice of official release of cultivars started in October, 1964 with the formation of the Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC) at the Central level and State Variety Release Committee at State level. The Central Variety Release Committee functioned up to 1969 when its functions were taken over by the Central Seed Committee (CSC) established under the Seeds Act, 1966. The Central Seeds Committee constituted a Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards Notification & Release of Varieties for Agricultural Crops and Horticultural Crops to discharge the functions of release/notification, provisional notification and de-notification of cultivars at Central level, while State Seed Sub-Committee (SSSC) were asked to discharge similar functions for release at State level.

Notification of Cultivars

After official release (at State as well as Central levels), the cultivars are notified under the Seeds Act so that the quality of seeds can be regulated. The main purpose of notification is to bring the seeds of a particular crop/variety under the purview of Seed Law Enforcement, mainly to empower the Seed Inspectors to verify the quality of its seeds by sampling and analysis. The notification is made by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Central Seed Committee.

The proposals for notification of a State-important variety are forwarded in the prescribed format by the State government after its release in that State to the Central Seed Committee for consideration.

Difference between Release and Notification

The Release is not a statutory function. Its main purpose is to make known the details of the newly evolved cultivar to the public and also the areas for which it is found suitable for cultivation. The Notification is a statutory function performed under the Seeds Act so that the provisions of the Seeds Act could be applied to regulate the quality of seeds during sale.

Advantages of Notification

Under the Seeds Act, certified seeds can be produced only of notified varieties and thus, notification precedes the certification. Therefore, notification is compulsory for production of certified seeds. Unless the variety is notified, the seed cannot be certified. Seed Law Enforcement agency notified under the Seeds Act can draw and test samples of seeds of notified varieties. Therefore, for regulation of the quality of seeds, notification is a precondition. The farmers benefit from the notification of varieties because the get seeds of assured quality of notified varieties. As specified under the Seeds Act, seeds of notified varieties can be sold after proper labeling and packing indicating the minimum specified standards.

Once the variety is notified, in general, it becomes government of India asset. The morphological character of notified varieties are documented by the Central Seed Committee so as to curtail the bio-piracy. The notification of the varieties will help to trace out its genesis. Subsidies are being considered basing on the notification status. Seed planning/programmes are being undertaken basing on the notification statistical data.

Procedure for Release of Cultivars

The cultivar which performs only in one State will be treated as ‘State variety’, which has been evolved either by State Agricultural University, individual, organization or ICAR institutes. Such varieties have to be considered by the State Seed Sub-committee of that particular State for release. The sponsoring authority intended to release the variety should furnish the relevant information in the prescribed proforma given below and submit to the co-convener of the State Seed Sub-committee for consideration and release of cultivar.

• Click Here for Proforma of Submission of Proposal of Release of Crop Variety to Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties (Central Varieties)
• Click Here for Proforma of submission of proposal for release and notification of flowers crops and ornamentals to the central sub-committee on crop standards, notification and release of varieties for horticultural crops (central varieties)
• Click Here for Proforma of submission of the proposal for notification of crop varieties of vegetable crops under section 5 of the Seeds Act 1966 (state varieties)
• Click Here for Proforma of submission of proposal of release of crop variety to State Seed Sub Committee
• Click Here for Proforma for denotification of crop/varieties under section 5 of the Seeds Act, 1966

Source : Seed Net