Seed Info

CONTRIBUTIONS from SEED PROGRAMS and PROJECTS

The Vegetable Seed Sector in Lebanon

In Lebanon, the public sector is responsible for providing seed of agricultural crops such as wheat, sugar beet and tobacco. It is also responsible for production and distribution of transplants of olives and tree crops. The private sector plays a major role in providing almost all seed or transplants of horticultural crops (vegetables, ornamentals or fruit trees) through imports or local production.

Major Seed Companies and Suppliers
There are several private companies and dealers involved in vegetable seed sector. Table 1 lists major seed companies providing over 80% of local vegetable seed market with licenses from internationally recognized seed companies. Some of these companies are also operate at the regional level in countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Syria, etc.

Table 1. Major companies and suppliers of vegetable seed in Lebanon
Company	Suppliers
Agricultural Material Company	Anseme, Asgrow, Bruinsma, California, Clause, Daehnfeldt, Hollar, Hungnong, Tokita,
Unifert	Huizer, Hurst, Ohlsens Enke, Petoseed, Petotec, Royal Sluis, Technisem
Debbane	De Ruita, Ferry Morse Nikerson, Takii, Zwaan
Robinson	Sloot &Groot, Rick Zwaan
Lamico	Sakata, Corona, Nonew Seeds
Amalia	Enza Zaden
CAL	Hollar

Seed Imports and Procedures
Each year Lebanon imports approximately US$ 4 million worth of vegetable seed, entirely by the private companies or dealers. However, there is very limited domestic seed production of some local varieties or landraces.

The import includes seed for greenhouses (135-150 kg/year) or for open fields (300 tonnes/year) as shown in Table 2. The main vegetable seed imported include beans, beets, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, egg plant, lettuce, okra, onion, melons, peas, parsley, pepper, radish, spinach, squash, sweet corn and tomato.

The general trade laws apply for import procedures, but due to the absence of seed laws and regulations anyone can import and sell seed on the market. The Ministry of Agriculture plays no role, although the customs request some documents required by an old seed law. These documents are: (a) certificate of origin; (b) certificate of specialization; (c) phytosanitary certificate; and (d) packing list. Some suppliers also provide a certificate of germination and insurance policy.

Variety Testing and Release
Each company introduces vegetable varieties from foreign suppliers and tests in its experimental stations. Most companies have at least two experimental stations. The first station is located on the coastal areas where humidity is high and the nights are frost-free and the second station in the Beka'a plain (1000m asl) which is characterized by hot summers, very cold winters and subject to low humidity and frequent frost damage in winters.

The seed companies follow similar procedures of variety testing. In the first year a large number of new varieties are introduced and tested in replicated trials on the experimental stations. The criteria for evaluation might differ among the companies where some use specific characters such as firmness and acidity in tomatoes, sugar contents in melons while others emphasize general criteria such as yield.

Table 2. Estimated quantity of vegetable seed imported per year
Crop	Hybrids (kg)	OPPs(kg)†	Total (kg)
Greenhouses
Cucumber‡	11	-	11
Tomato	70	-	70
Eggplant	20	-	20
Melons	30	-	30
Pepper	15	-	15
Open Fields
Green beans	-	100,000	100,000
Green peas	-	100,000	100,000
Sweet corn	12,000	-	12,000
Melons	400	500	900
Watermelons	750	1000	1750
Cucumber	600	2000	2600
Tomato	150	-	150
Eggplant	30	200	230
Okra	-	2000	2000
Sweet pepper	30	70	100
Hot pepper	7	-	7
Squash	6000	-	6000
Red beets	-	3000	3000
Carrots	-	4000	4000
Radish	-	25,000	25,000
Onions	2000	10,000	12,000
White cabbage	250	-	250
Red cabbage	10	0	10
Cauliflower	200	50	250
Parsley	-	10,000	10,000
Lettuce	-	5000	5000
Spinach	-	10,000	10,000
Total (kg)	22,562	272,820	295,382

†Open pollinated varieties; ‡ million seeds

In the second year, selected promising varieties are tested for a year or two in larger unreplicated plots or demonstration plots either on the stations or on-farmers' field. At this stage field days are also organized where farmers are involved and/or exposed to new varieties. Small companies provide seed to farmers for free for testing on their fields to minimize trial costs.

During the third or fourth year, varieties are released for commercial use and registered with the Ministry of Economics and Trade. Although the registration of varieties outside the country is possible, this is dropped because it is expensive and not obligatory.

Seed Marketing and Distribution
Each company has its own seed distribution network across the country. The number of distribution points ranges from 4 to 12 locations and is spread in most cities and six provinces of the country.

Apart from selling seed from their own distribution shops, the companies also market seed through dealers. Sometimes company sales representatives make contacts with farmers directly. Moreover, the nurseries (approximately 10 to 15 nurseries across Lebanon) are another important source for planting materials where the seedlings are directly sold to the farmers.

Problems and Constraints
The absence of seed laws and seed quality control have made the seed trade in Lebanon much easier. However, some reputable seed companies consider that enforcement of such laws will be to their advantage to regulate the seed business and prevent fraudulent practices such as smuggling seed. Major constraints facing the vegetable sector in the country are the absence of clear agricultural policy, lack of seed laws and quality control, seed smuggling from neighboring countries, overproduction of vegetables and lack of organized market and absence of agricultural extension services. Hassan Machlab, Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 287, Tal Amara, Rayak.
Fax: ++961-8-900077; E.mail:hmachlab@larileb.com

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Seed Production of Indigenous Rangeland Forage Species in Oman

The indigenous forage species play an important role in the long-term sustainability of rangelands because of their adaptation to the arid environments. They could be alternative feed sources compared to exotic or imported forage species with high demand for scarce water resources. However, the availability of seed of indigenous forage species is a major limiting factor. Bulk seed multiplication of two rangeland forage species viz. Cenchrus ciliaris L (UAE Accession No. MAF-120) and Coelachyrum piercei Benth (UAE Accession No. MAF-116) was entrusted to the Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory in November 1999 under Phase II of APRP (Arabian Peninsula Research Program) of ICARDA. Accordingly 6g of Cenchrus ciliaris and 8g of Coelachyrum piercei were supplied where seed multiplication was carried out at the Agriculture Research Station in Sohar under drip irrigation from March 2000 to February 2002. A total of 13.6 kg and 12.6 kg of Cenchrus ciliaris and Coelachyrum piercei, respectively were collected in six harvests spreading over 600 days. Both grass species produced comparatively more seed yield in summer than in winter seasons. These studies clearly demonstrated that seed of grass species such as Cenchrus and Coelachyrum could be produced in the Gulf climate of Oman throughout the year. Non-synchronous formation of panicles and early shattering were the main problems faced during seed multiplication and harvesting the two grass species. New experiments have been initiated to tackle these problems. S.K Nadaf, S.M. Al-Farsi and S.A. Al-Hinai, Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory, Agriculture Production Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 50, PC 121, Oman (NB: Details of the experiment will be presented in coming issues of Seed Info).

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