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English Version:
Arabic Version:
CONTRIBUTIONS from SEED PROGRAMS and PROJECTS
Excerpts from Pakistan National Seed Program
The following news is excerpts compiled from The Seed News (a biannual news bulletin of Pakistan seed industry) courtesy of its editor Seyed Irfan Ahmed former Director General of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department.
The Government of Pakistan attaches high priority to agricultural research, variety development and seed production, distribution, quality control and extension. The National Seed Council (NSC) and the Provincial Seed Councils (PSC) were established at federal and provincial levels, respectively. The NSC has an overall policy and decision making authority within the Ministry of Food, Agricultural and Livestock. The NSC in its November 2002 meeting made several key decisions on seed certification labels and standards and approved the release of new crop varieties.
New Labels for Approved
Seed
The Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department is a national authority
responsible for implementing the national seed certification scheme based
on Seed Act (No. XXIX of 1976) and 'Truth-in-Labeling (Seeds) Rules, 1991'.
In Pakistan, under the Seed Act of 1976, Breeder, Pre-basic, Basic, Certified
and Approved Seed are recognized. The Seeds Rules of 1991 allows marketing
of truthfully labeled seed. Accordingly, the NSC has approved the specifications
for labeling the latter of these seed categories: (1) pink label for Approved
Seed category and yellow label for Truthfully-labeled Seed category. The labels
shall carry information on: (i) lot number; (ii) crop/species; (iii) variety;
(iv) pure seed %; (v) germination %; (vi) other crop seed %; (vii) weed seeds
%; (viii) inert matter %; (ix) production year; and (x) date of expiry.
Change of Standards
for Approved Seed
Up on the request of seed producers the NSC has approved the minimum field
and seed standards for Approved Seed category of cereals, legumes, oilseeds
and forages. Similarly, the Council also allowed changes for berseem seed
certification standards as follows: (i) categorized Cichorium intybus as common
weed instead of objectionable weed; (ii) allowed the presence of Cichorium
intybus and other weeds of up to 1.5% in Truthfully-labeled, 0.8% in Approved
and 0.5% in Certified Seed categories; and (iii) set similar standards for
objectionable weeds i.e. 0.05% for Truthfully-labeled, Approved and Certified
Seed categories.
Release and Registration
of New Crop Varieties
The National Seed Council approved the registration of 28 different crop varieties
including wheat (7 varieties), cotton (8), chickpea (1), mung (1), mash (1),
rice (3), sorghum (1), sugarcane (2), hybrid maize (2), sunflower (1) and
rape seed (1).
Certification Standards
for Fruit Tree Nursery
The NSC also approved minimum certification standards for fruit plants such
as apple, pear, quince, loquat, cherry, plum, peaches and apricot. The certification
standards prescribe minimum requirements for land, isolation, number of inspections,
purity standards, scion and stock condition, rouging, pest tolerance, labeling
etc. Certification rules for fruit plants already stands approved by the NSC.
Source: The Seed News, Vol3 No2 July-December 2002.
***
Syria Released Chickpea and Lentil Varieties
In November 2002, the Syrian National Variety Release Committee released two winter chickpea varieties and two lentil varieties, developed jointly by ICARDA and the Syrian National program. The varieties were developed at ICARDA and jointly evaluated by ICARDA and Syrian national program at representative sites throughout the country.
The two chickpea varieties, Ghab 4 (FLIP 93-93C) and Ghab 5 (FLIP 88-85C), are both high yielding, ascochyta blight tolerant, suitable for mechanical harvesting and are recommended for Zones 1 and 2 (except Malkieh). An integrated pest management package was also recommended for these varieties.
The two lentil varieties, Idlib 3 (ILL6994) and Idlib 4 (ILL7201), are high yielding, wilt resistant, and suitable for mechanical harvesting. Idlib 3 is recommended for planting in low-rainfall areas and has desirable genes from two parents of Jordanian and Moroccan origin. Idlib 4 is recommended for planting in Zone 2 (including Aleppo, Idleb, and Al-Hasakeh) and possesses desirable genes from four parents from Syria, Lebanon, Mexico, and Ethiopia. The multiplication of these varieties is being carried out both at ICARDA and GOSM for future seed distribution to farmers. Abdul Mohsen Said Omar, GOSM, P.O. Box 5857, Aleppo, Syria; E-mail: gosm@mail.sy
***
Winter Wheat Variety Released in Uzbekistan
Since 1995n, wheat breeders in Uzbekistan have been testing breeding material from the Turkey/CIMMYT/ ICARDA International Program of Winter Wheat Improvement. Many promising lines have been identified; among them BDME-9 (YMH/TOB/MCD/3/LIRA) was released by the State Variety Testing Commission under the name 'Dostlik' in December 2002 for cultivation in five provinces. The variety is drought and salt tolerant, has good resistance to pests and diseases, especially to yellow rust, and out yielded the local checks by 10-14% in multi-location trials.
***
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