the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

299true to type. are selected and threshedindividually. Progeny rows are grownand progenies containing off-types areremoved before harvest; <strong>the</strong> seed of <strong>the</strong>remaining progenies are mixed to formbreeder seed. Breeder seed is monitoredby a committee composed ofrepresentatives of <strong>the</strong> Indian Council ofAgricultural Research, <strong>the</strong> NSC. <strong>the</strong>State Seed Certification Agency (SSCA)and <strong>the</strong> breeder.Foundation seedFoundation seed production of allIndian varieties is arranged by <strong>the</strong> NSC;<strong>the</strong> SSC undertakes <strong>the</strong> production ofvarieties on <strong>the</strong> state level. Because ofincreased demand for certified seed ofcertain varieties. it has becomenecessary to undertake a second stageof foundation seed production. which isknown as Foundation Seed Stage II.Certification and "grow-out testing" ofall foundation seed lots are carried outby <strong>the</strong> SSCA. The grow-out test servesas both a postcontrol test for <strong>the</strong>foundation seed and a precontrol testfor certified seed.Certified seedCertified seed production is carried outby public as well as by private agenCies.The certification is optional, and iscarried out by an independentcertification agency. The only varietieswhich come under review forcertification are those which have beenreleased by ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> State or CentralSubcommittee on Release of Varietiesand duly certified by <strong>the</strong> Central SeedCertification Board.The public sector companies thatarrange for seed production throughregistered seed growers are shareholdersin <strong>the</strong> corporation and. thus.directly linked with <strong>the</strong> development of<strong>the</strong> corporation. However. productionwith contract growers is also arrangedto help achieve target quantities.In order to have better quality control,certification work is carried out by <strong>the</strong>staff of U.P. Seeds and TaraiDevelopment Corporation (UPSTDC) aswell as <strong>the</strong> SSCA. This system proVidesan opportunity for more inspections ofseed plots; it also proVides counterchecks. The seed producers are advisedto harvest <strong>the</strong>ir seed crops when <strong>the</strong>yhave appropriate moisture content,preferably 13%. to avoid mechanicaldamage. For <strong>the</strong> convenience of <strong>the</strong>seed producers. and to have effectivequality control. a representative sampleof raw (unprocessed) seed is drawnfrom <strong>the</strong> farmer's field and tested; onlythat seed which meets <strong>the</strong> prescribedstandards is accepted at <strong>the</strong> plant.After arriving at <strong>the</strong> plant, <strong>the</strong> seed isagain tested to confirm that <strong>the</strong> lotsmeet <strong>the</strong> prescribed standards. Thoselots meeting <strong>the</strong> standards are <strong>the</strong>nprocessed. i.e.. cleaned, graded. treated.packaged and labeled. Generally.drying is not reqUired as seed isreceived during <strong>the</strong> dry period andmoisture content in <strong>the</strong> grain at intaketime varies between 9 and 10%. Thecorporation has well-equippedprocessing plants with a total capacityof 65.000 tons; this is being expandedto 80.000 tons. Similarly, o<strong>the</strong>r seedcorporations in <strong>the</strong> country haveprocessing facilities in accordance with<strong>the</strong>ir production program.The UPSTDC has its own qualitycontrol system and does not rely totallyon <strong>the</strong> SSCA. Certain standards whichare not prescribed in <strong>the</strong> IndianMinimum Seed Certification Standardshave been incorporated into its seedproduction program. For instance, nostandard has been prescribed for loosesmut (Ustilago nuda tritici). but <strong>the</strong>corporation is testing for infection by atechnique called <strong>the</strong> mycelium test inevery lot of wheat seed it receives. LotshaVing more than 0.5% infected seedare subjected to special treatment witha systemic fungicide. Carboxin orCarbendazim. Similarly. lots haVinghigh amounts of rod kernel or spottedkernel are not accepted. This procedure