Crop variety improvement and quality seed supply are the two prime elements determining the success of modern agriculture. During the Green Revolution era, India's agriculture witnessed spectacular growth through the introduction of seeds of high yielding varieties. Later, the coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables emulated the success with the introduction of hybrid seeds.

Despite the huge institutional framework for seed production, the availability of quality seeds continues to be a major problem for the farmers. As a result, they prefer to rely on farm saved seeds. The seed replacement rate continues to remain in the range of 2-10 for certain crops, which is below the desired level of 20 per cent for the most crops. Seed replacement rate has a strong positive correlation with the productivity and production of crops. Village based seed banks provide an alternative solution to this problem and help farmers become self-reliant.

The superior varieties/ hybrids developed and released for cultivation need to be properly maintained for their genetic and physical purity in order to exploit their full genetic potential. The genetic purity in subsequent generations largely depends upon the quality of nucleus/ breeder seed .For achieving this goal, the maintenance breeding becomes an important task.

To accelerate agricultural development, it is necessary to protect the Plant Breeder's Rights to stimulate investments for research and development of new plant varieties. Such protection is likely to facilitate the growth of the seed industry will ensure the availability of high quality seed and planting material to the farmers. To give effect to the aforesaid objectives, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer's Right Bill was introduced in the parliament.

Though the seed quality is a complex phenomenon, technologies to handle nearly each and every factor affecting the quality seed have been developed. For proper utilization of advanced technologies or innovation like designer seed should be put into practice. A designer seed could reduce pesticide on crops, enhance germination under biotic and abiotic stress and improve the vigour of seedlings.

IPM technology is more relevant for sustainable quality seed production which combines biological control, host plant resistant, appropriate farming practices and minimize the use of pesticides. Also, the proper storage of planting material is a major problem in India, where the combination of high temperature and high relative humidity cause rapid deterioration of seed quality. The innovative new technologies enable farmers, seed producers, and seed distributors to effectively store seeds without losing the viability and germinability.  

The book has been organized with the available information on recent techniques of seed production management on various field crops in a systematic manner. The book will be of immense value for seed production specialists, teachers, students, researchers and policy makers.

 

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