The first set of hybrids was released in India 1961, under the aegis of the then, all India Coordinated Maize Improvement Project. This necessitated the help of seed producing agency to facilitate the availability of maize hybrid seed to farmers. One such organization, National Seeds Corporation (NSC), was established in 1961, which had an overall responsibility of seed production and marketing of public bred cultivars. However, NSC alone could not produce the seed of desired quantity. Realizing the wider gap between production and requirement of certified quality seed, it became imperative to think of involving more number of agencies/people in the seed production activity. With the results, State Farms Corporation of India (SFCI) and several State Seed Corporations came into being. Also, a number of private seed producer extended their activity in hybrid seed production. To ascertain the supply of quality seed, the "Seed act and Seeds Rules" were enacted in 1966 with the two basic elements in it i.e. the compulsory labeling offered for sale or marketing, and voluntary certification of seed for notified, "Kind" or "Variety". Along with these developments, seed research was also intensified on several aspects like nicking problem in parental lines of hybrids, increase in seed yield, isolation distances in respect of double top cross, double cross, three-way and single cross hybrids. Problems of long as well as short term storage have been tackled. Breeder's seed production programme has been strengthened by involving the breeders in this activity. As of today, a number of multinational and national seed organizations are engaged in seed production and marketing in India besides public sector organizations, and are doing great service to the farming community.

English

0208|AGRIS 0201|AL-Maize Program|R01PROCE

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection