Success Story 12. Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) test in Rice

Directorate of Rice Research is the nodal centre for the DUS test in rice supported by four Co- Nodal centers (Central Rice Research  Institute, Cuttack; Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Karnal, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore for  DUS  testing  program.  DRR  has  developed  data  base  of  512  rice  varieties  as  Reference Collection  of  Rice  Varieties  (RCVs)  for  DUS  test.  2  kg  seed  of  each  of  the  512  varieties  have been  deposited  at  NBPGR  under  medium  term  storage  for  future  reference.  In  addition,  50g  of each  of  these  varieties  were  deposited  in  the  varieties  module  of  NBPGR.  Further,  efforts  are being continued to obtain the remaining released rice varieties and parental lines of hybrids. First DUS  testing  of  the  candidate  varieties  was  started  at  DRR,  Hyderabad  as  the  Nodal  centre  and CRRI, Cuttack as the second location (Co-nodal centre) during Kharif 2008.  So far 4 DUS test

programmes were conducted from 2008 and 1st season completed for Fifth DUS test programme. Of the 82 new varieties tested so far, 18 varieties were registered and certificates were issued. 12 certificates  were  issued  by  the  authority  out  of  40  VCKs  evaluated  from  2010-13.  As  many  as 869 farmers’ varieties from the states of Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were also evaluated  for  facilitating  the  registration  of  these  varieties.  Of  these  44  farmers  varieties  have already  been  issued  the  certificates  of  registration  by  PPV&FRA.    The  details  of  the  test conducted since 2008 are furnished below.

Status of DUS testing in Rice

*Rabi ;  # kharif

In addition to the above mentioned 141 Extant Notified Varieties (ENV’s) were sent to PPV&FRA for registration. Of these registration certificates were issued for 71 varieties and 31 are pending while 39 varieties disqualified since those varieties completed 15 years after their release.  PPV&FRA conferred the status of Best DUS test centre for maintaining large number of RCVs on 11.11.2011(Foundation Day of Authority).  A book entitled “DUS characterization of Rice Varieties” published by DRR was released on 22nd May 2013 by the Honorable minister of state for Agriculture Shri Tariq Anwar. So far three “One day  Awareness cum Training Programmes on Plant Variety Protection and Registration of Plant Varieties’’ (7th February

2011, 15th   November 2012 and 25th   March 2013) were organized at  DRR, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. These programmes were sponsored by PPV&FRA to create awareness among the Agricultural Officers of Departments of Agriculture, Assistant Professors/Scientists from SAUs, NGOs and progressive farmers.