FSC&RD issues over 505 variety names for enlistment of new crop varieties

July 14, 2026 (MLN): The Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) has issued more than 505 variety names for the enlistment of new crop varieties, a move aimed at increasing the production and availability of certified, high-yielding seeds across the country.

According to an FSC&RD official, the initiative forms part of the government's broader efforts to strengthen the national seed system, promote agricultural productivity, and ensure farmers have access to quality seed of improved crop varieties, APP reported.

The official said the department received 289 challans under account head C03139 for the enlistment of new varieties.

The department's Central Seed Testing Laboratory separately tested 267 seed lots spanning cereals, fodders, pulses, vegetables, and oilseeds to ensure compliance with prescribed quality standards.

The department also updated and circulated the National Register of Enlisted Varieties, which now stands at 7,814 entries, the official said, adding that the register serves as a key reference document for seed producers, researchers, regulatory authorities, and farmers, facilitating the availability and commercialization of approved crop varieties while reinforcing quality assurance mechanisms in the seed sector.

He further said 221 seed lots and samples were tested for various quality parameters, covering vegetables, pulses, cereals, fodders, grasses, pistachio, and oilseed crops, with the evaluations focused on seed purity, germination, and other characteristics essential for maintaining national and international seed standards.

The department also introduced several technical improvements in seed testing procedures, with specialised protocols optimised for ferula, chilgoza, and pistachio seeds to improve the accuracy of purity and germination assessments, he added.

In another development, commercial samples of card-embedded seeds and seed tapes were tested for the first time, reflecting the department's efforts to accommodate emerging seed technologies and innovative planting materials.

On the human resource front, FSC&RD organised training and capacity-building programmes for 213 agriculture students, providing practical exposure to seed certification, testing methodologies, varietal registration procedures, and quality control systems.

The department also conducted 215 Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) trials on different crop varieties, the official said, noting that these trials are a prerequisite for the registration and protection of new plant varieties.

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