High - Yielding Varieties of Seeds

As per new agricultural plan, special importance has been positioned on the improvement and extensive adoption of high - yielding varieties of seeds. Despite the fact that the government had been paying attention to persuade qualitative enhancements in seeds from the time when the commencement of planning process in India, yet the real thrust to these efforts were given by the embracing of the new agricultural approach in the kharif season of year 1966.

Production of improved seeds & particularly high - yielding varieties of seeds was encouraged on the farms of State and Central governments & by registered seed growers. In selected regions of India Mexican varieties of wheat like Sonara 64 and Lerma Rojo-64-A were directly initiated in the initial period, substantial consideration was later given to hybridization of Mexican material with Indian varieties.

Introduction of such high - yielding arrays of wheat depends significantly on the accessibility of fertilizers, ample water supply, insecticides and pesticides. Consequently they have to be launched in the form of 'Package Programme'. Because of their reliance on irrigation, they could be enlisted only in areas having suitable irrigation facilities.

Seed sector in India comprises of:

• National Seeds Corporation
• State Farms Corporation of India
• 13 State Seed Corporations
• Around 100 private sector seed companies

For quality control & certification, there are:

• 22 State Seed Certification Agencies
• 101 State Seed Testing Laboratories