15 Questions
What is the class of seed that undergoes field and seed (lab) inspection to ensure fulfillment of standards?
Registered seed
Which class of seed is grown by selected farmers who have experience and capacity to produce it?
Certified seed
What is the equivalent OECD Seed Class for the US Certified Seed Class?
Red
What is one of the benefits of disseminating and using high-quality seeds?
Minimize risks of insect pests and plant diseases
What are the main entities involved in the formal seed system?
Public and private sectors
What is a key learning objective related to seed systems?
Differentiate between formal (commercial), informal, and semi-formal (integrated) seed systems
What is the typical duration of variety performance testing before being recommended for release?
2-3 years in 3-4 locations
Who makes the decision for variety release?
National Variety Releasing Committee (NVRC)
What are the seed quality attributes mentioned in the text?
Genetic purity, physical purity, physiological attributes, and seed health
What percentage of the seed demands in Africa does the formal (commercial) seed system produce?
10-20%
What is the main characteristic of the informal seed supply system in sub-Saharan Africa?
Flexibility and wide diffusion of seed
What are the criteria for new cultivars to be officially registered in sub-Saharan African countries?
Distinctiveness, uniformity, stability, value for cultivation and use
What are the common regulations for cultivar release in most African countries?
Formation of independent national varietal releasing committees
What is the primary aim of the efforts in crop breeding in sub-Saharan Africa?
Develop and release crop varieties well-adapted to specific and wide crop growing environments
Who can apply for plant breeder's right?
The breeder or the breeder's employer
Study Notes
Crop Breeding and Regulations in Sub-Saharan Africa
- National and regional crop breeding programs in sub-Saharan Africa have varying capacities, with some focusing on testing lines from other countries while others have established their own crossing/hybridization programs.
- The Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has contributed to crop varieties and technology development through organizations like CIMMYT, IITA, IRRI, ICRISAT, CIAT, and ICARDA.
- Common regulations for cultivar release in most African countries include the development of guidelines, formation of independent national varietal releasing committees, and the registration and public availability of officially released cultivars.
- The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) provides and promotes plant variety protection, recognizing the rights of plant breeders for the varieties they develop.
- South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, and Tunisia are the only UPOV members in sub-Saharan Africa, while the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) aims to harmonize IP laws and activities within its 19 member countries.
- Plant breeder's right is an intellectual property right granted to crop breeders, giving them exclusive control over new plant varieties and providing recognition and economic reward for their efforts.
- Eligibility for plant breeder's right requires the new cultivar to be new, distinct, uniform, stable, and have an acceptable variety name.
- The breeder or the breeder's employer can apply for plant breeder's right, with the breeder having rights over seed production, reproduction, sale, exporting, and importing.
- Variety performance testing in sub-Saharan African countries focuses on selecting new cultivars with desirable traits, ensuring they meet agronomic characteristics such as grain yield, disease and pest resistance, and conducting multi-environment and multi-year variety trials.
- Multi-environment and multi-year variety trials are conducted in countries like Uganda, Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Zambia to select better performing cultivars.
- New cultivars are required to show better performance in a significant number of tests compared to existing or commercial cultivars.
- The primary aim of these efforts is to develop and release crop varieties that are well-adapted to specific and wide crop growing environments in sub-Saharan Africa.
Test your knowledge of crop breeding and regulations in sub-Saharan Africa with this quiz. Explore topics such as national and regional breeding programs, regulations for cultivar release, plant breeder's rights, and the role of organizations like CGIAR in developing crop varieties. See how much you know about the efforts to develop and release crop varieties adapted to diverse growing environments in the region.
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