Quality Seed Production in Legumes
摘要
Pulses are affordable sources of protein and minerals, with the pulse-based systems having the least environmental footprint. Pulses are vital to safeguard the nutritional security and livelihood generation of the marginalized section of the community. The productivity and sustainability of crop production system rely heavily on the timely supply of the quality seed of the improved varieties. Continuous replacement of old varieties in farmers’ fields with the latest one expands climate adaptation capacity of the production systems. Unavailability and poor access to the quality seed of pulses has been a land-standing bottleneck in realizing the productivity gains in these crops. However, recent efforts on improving the production of quality seed of pulses in India have been remarkable. The synergies among different Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), National Seeds Corporation (NSC), State Seeds Corporations (SSCs), and other stakeholders with adequate support from government policies have led to a significant increase in production and accessibility of the quality seed of pulse crops. The improved rate of seed and varietal replacement resulting from these new initiatives is contributing to overcome the gaps in crop yields between experimental plots and farmers’ fields. This chapter discusses the latest trends and prospects of quality seed production of pulse crops in India.