# Sugarcane seed production, seed standard and seed certification

D.N. Kamat, Navnit Kumar, Md. Minnatullah, S.K. Sinha, C.K. Jha, Ajeet Kumar, Anil Kumar Singh

► To cite this version:

D.N. Kamat, Navnit Kumar, Md. Minnatullah, S.K. Sinha, C.K. Jha, et al., Sugarcane seed production, seed standard and seed certification. Sustainable sugarcane production and utilization: Issues and Initiatives, RPCAU, Pusa, Oct 2023, Pusa (Samastipur)-848125, India. pp.123-130. hal-04881484

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Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
SOUVENIR CUM EDITED BOOK

Sustainable Sugarcane
Production and Utilization:
Issues and Initiatives

Editors: Navnit Kumar, A.K. Singh, D.N. Kamat, Anil Kumar, Md. Minnatullah, Ajeet Kumar, S.N. Singh, C.K. Jha and Anupam Amitabh

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Annual Group Meet - 2023

All India Coordinated Research Project on Sugarcane
(October 26 – 27, 2023)

Organized by:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University
Sugarcane Research Institute
Pusa (Samastipur)- 848125, Bihar
and
ICAR-Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research
Lucknow - 226 002

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# Sustainable Sugarcane Production and Utilization : Issues and Initiatives

## ANNUAL GROUP MEET
All India Coordinated Research Project on Sugarcane

October 26-27, 2023

Editors

Navnit Kumar

A.K. Singh

D.N. Kamat

Anil Kumar

Md. Minnatullah

Ajeet Kumar

S.N. Singh

C.K. Jha

Anupam Amitabh

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Organized by :

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University
Sugarcane Research Institute
Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar) - 848 125

and

ICAR - Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research
LUCKNOW - 226 002

Website : https://www.rpcau.ac.in

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# SOUVENIR-CUM-EDITED BOOK

*Sustainable Sugarcane Production and Utilization: Issues and Initiatives*

Annual Group Meet-2023

All India Coordinated Research Project on Sugarcane

October 26-27, 2023

**Patron**

Dr. P.S. Pandey, Vice-Chancellor, RPCAU, Pusa

**Organizing Chairman**

Dr. A.K. Singh, Director, SRI, RPCAU, Pusa

**© RPCAU, Pusa**

Phone No. 06274-4240226

Email: contact@rpcau.ac.in

Website: https://wwwrpcau.ac.in

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drPCAupusa

Twitter: twitter.com/rpcau-pusa

Publication Year : 2023

ISBN No.: 978-81-966957-2-9

**Technical Assistance**

Sri Rajesh Kumar, Sr. Technician, SRI, RPCAU, Pusa

**Citation**

Kumar, N., Singh, A.K., Kamat, D.N., Kumar, A., Minnatullah, Md., Kumar, A., Singh, S.N., Jha, C.K., Amitabh, A. (2023). Sustainable Sugarcane Production and Utilization: Issues and Initiatives (Souvenir-cum-Edited Book). SRI, RPCAU, Pusa-848 125 (Bihar), India, Pp. 1-256.

*Printed by: K. G. Enterprises, Mahendru, Patna-6*
## CONTENT

<table><thead><tr><td>Sl. No.</td><td>Topic</td><td>Author (s)</td><td>Page No.</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1.</td><td>Enhancing Sugarcane Production and Productivity in Bihar: Issues and Initiatives</td><td>A.K. Singh, Navnit Kumar and Lalita Rana</td><td>01 - 10</td></tr><tr><td>2.</td><td>Climate Resilient Sugarcane Varieties and their Role in Sustainable Sugarcane Production</td><td>G. Hemaprabha and K. Mohanraj</td><td>11 - 25</td></tr><tr><td>3.</td><td>Recommended Sugarcane Varieties of SRI, Pusa for Commercial Cultivation in Bihar</td><td>D.N. Kamat, Minnatullah, Navnit Kumar, Anil Kumar, Dinesh Kumar Singh and A.K. Singh</td><td>26 - 33</td></tr><tr><td>4.</td><td>Crop Diversification with Sugarcane for Resource Conservation and Profit Maximization</td><td>T. K. Srivastava</td><td>34 - 39</td></tr><tr><td>5.</td><td>Diversification, Sustainability and Extending Crushing Duration up to 180 days in Sugar Mills of Uttar Pradesh</td><td>Sudhir Kr. Shukla and Sanjeev Kumar Pathak</td><td>40 - 43</td></tr><tr><td>6.</td><td>Enhancing Productivity of Sugarcane under Waterlogged Conditions</td><td>Navnit Kumar, Lalita Rana and A.K Singh</td><td>44 - 48</td></tr><tr><td>7.</td><td>Climate Change and its Effect on Important Sugarcane Diseases</td><td>R. Viswanathan, Chandramani Raj and Shweta Singh</td><td>49 - 78</td></tr><tr><td>8.</td><td>Bacterial Diseases of Sugarcane: Diagnosis, Epidemiology and Management</td><td>Dinesh Singh, Chandramani Raj, Arun Baitha, Shweta Singh, S. K. Gowswami, Sharmila Roy, M. R. Singh, Dinesh Singh, Lalan Sharma and R. Vishwanathan</td><td>79 - 91</td></tr><tr><td>9.</td><td>Diseases of Sugarcane and its Management in Changing Climate Condition under Sub-Tropical India</td><td>Dinesh Singh, Sanjay Yadav, Lalan Sharma, Ajita Singh and Adil Zuber</td><td>92 - 98</td></tr><tr><td>10.</td><td>Biological Control of Sugarcane Borers</td><td>Arun Baitha, M.R.Singh, Sharmila Roy, Dinesh Singh, K.Srinivas, S.K.Goswami, Shweta Singh and Chandramani Raj</td><td>99 - 122</td></tr><tr><td>11.</td><td>Sugarcane Seed Production, Seed Standard and Seed Certification</td><td>D.N. Kamat, Navnit Kumar, Md. Minnatullah, S.K. Sinha, C.K. Jha Ajeet Kumar and A.K. Singh</td><td>123 - 130</td></tr><tr><td>12.</td><td>Beneficial Arthropod Fauna Associated with Sugarcane Ecosystem</td><td>Sharmila Roy and Arun Baitha</td><td>131 - 137</td></tr><tr><td>13.</td><td>Nine Decades of Varietal Development Work at Sugarcane Research Institute, Pusa</td><td>Balwant Kumar</td><td>138 - 152</td></tr><tr><td>14.</td><td>Ratoon Stunting Disease: A Silent Threat to Sugarcane in Indian Agriculture</td><td>Chandramani Raj, Shweta Singh, Sanjay K Goswami, Dinesh Singh and R Viswanathan</td><td>153 - 159</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><tr><td>15.</td><td>Prospective of Sugarcane Wastes for Improving Soil Health and Sustainable Crop Production</td><td>C.K. Jha</td><td>160 - 167</td></tr><tr><td>16.</td><td>Climate Change and its Impact on Sugarcane Insect Pests of Bihar</td><td>Anil Kumar, Vishwajeet and Sidh Nath Singh</td><td>168 - 176</td></tr><tr><td>17.</td><td>Beneficial Microorganisms in Sugarcane Production</td><td>Geeta Kumari, Aman Jaiswal, Viabhav Kr. Upadhayay, Jyostnarani Pradhan and Navnit Kumar</td><td>177 - 184</td></tr><tr><td>18.</td><td>Strategies for Enhancing Sugarcane Yields by Harnessing the Power of Ripening and the Use of Ripeners in Sugarcane cultivation</td><td>Ajeet Kumar, Sunita Kumari Meena, S.K. Sinha and A.K. Singh</td><td>185 - 196</td></tr><tr><td>19.</td><td>Mineral Nutrition in Sugarcane: A Deep Dive into Nutrient-Driven Disease Resistance</td><td>S.K. Sinha, Ajeet Kumar, Minnatullah and A.K. Singh</td><td>197 - 201</td></tr><tr><td>20.</td><td>Applications of Remote Sensing in Sugarcane Cultivation</td><td>Sumit Sow and Navnit Kumar</td><td>202 - 206</td></tr><tr><td>21.</td><td>Agribusiness Potential of Sugarcane in Bihar</td><td>Shiva Pujan Singh, Minnatullah, S. K. Sameer, Ritambra Singh and A. R. Shravanthi</td><td>207 - 210</td></tr><tr><td>22.</td><td>Weed Seed Bank Influenced by Soil Fertilization and Crop Residue Retention in Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)</td><td>Lalita Rana, Navnit Kumar, Sunita Kumari Meena, Anil Kumar and A.K. Singh</td><td>211 - 214</td></tr><tr><td>23.</td><td>Management of Red Rot of Sugarcane through SAR Molecules</td><td>Gedela Venkata Hima Sameera, S.N. Singh and Anil Kumar</td><td>215 - 220</td></tr><tr><td>24.</td><td>Income and Employment Generation through Sugarcane Production &amp; Processing Model</td><td>A. Amitabh, A. K. Singh and Navnit Kumar</td><td>221 - 224</td></tr><tr><td>25.</td><td>Strategies for Effective Fertilization and Nutrient Management in Sugarcane: Integrated Nutrient Management</td><td>Sunita Kumari Meena, Ajeet Kumar, Lalita Rana, S. N. Suman, A. K. Singh</td><td>225 - 234</td></tr><tr><td>26.</td><td>Innovative Techniques of Sugarcane Seed Multiplication and Seed Certification</td><td>Balwant Kumar and Navnit Kumar</td><td>235 - 247</td></tr><tr><td>27.</td><td>Pervasive Challenge of Sugarcane Wilt Disease : Insights, Dynamics and its Impacts in Bihar</td><td>Minatullah, Ajeet Kumar, D. N. Kamat, Shiva Pujan Singh, C. K. Jha and Piyush Kumar</td><td>248 - 256</td></tr></table>

***
# Sugarcane Seed Production, Seed Standard and Seed Certification

D.N. Kamat, Navnit Kumar, Md. Minnatullah, S.K. Sinha, C.K. Jha, Ajeet Kumar and A.K.Singh

Sugarcane Research Institute, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University

Pusa, Samastipur-848125 (Bihar)

## Introduction

Sugarcane being a vegetatively propagated crop, 12 to 14% of total cane production is used annually as seed material. A huge quantity of good quality seed cane is required for improving the productivity. Seed constitute the most vital input for successful and profitable agriculture. In sugarcane seed production, equal emphasis being accorded to seed cane as well as tissue culture plants obtained through micro-propagation. Tissue culture plantlets are used as nucleus seed. The seed is the storehouse of genetic potential of varietal productivity. Other inputs like soil properties, irrigation, plant nutrition. 2nd plant protection measures can be of better use only if good quality seed of improved varieties is utilized. Hence, the importance of quality seed in sustaining the productivity of sugarcane varieties needs to be emphasized.

## Concept of seed cane in sugarcane cultivation

A large number of excellent varieties of sugarcane have been developed in India since the release of first hybrid cane (Co 205) from SBI, Coimbatore. Many of the popular sugarcane varieties have lost their yield potential and are grown with reduced yields. The phenomenon of such gradual loss of yield potential has been termed as "varietal deterioration". Apart from the major factors attributed for varietal decline viz. diseases insects, drought, salinity/ alkalinity, water logging, monocropping and poor quality of planting material has been found to play a key role that affected the varietal performance.

The successive changes in varietal spectrum also prompted at large-scale movement of seed cane from one place to another and, consequently, new types of pests and diseases were also introduced in areas where those were not present earlier. As many sugar factories do not have a healthy seed nursery programme, farmers have no choice except to use their own seed material. Many of the diseases are seed borne and hence, poor seed quality leads to varietal degeneration. Therefore, the importance of quality seed cane in sugarcane cultivation cannot be overlooked. The diseases are considered to be an important limiting factor for sugar production and difficult to their control hence, production of healthy seed cane is necessary to ensure profitability.

In commercial parlance, seeds are cane pieces with "2 or 3 eye buds" called setts. The rate of germination of varieties is partially a varietal character. A good seed in sugarcane is defined as the sett obtained from a healthy crop. It should be free from pests and diseases and should have a good germination rate of more than 85%. Healthy seed material, free from pests and disease like red rot, wild, smut, ratoon stunting etc., should be selected for seed purpose. Ratoon crop is not suitable for seed purpose as these canes may carry the disease of the previous crop. For best results separate crop nurseries should be raised especially for producing seed-canes under good crop management. The genetic purity of a variety which plays a pivotal role in sugarcane and sugar production should be maintained.

The seed borne diseases viz., Red Rot, Smut, wilt, Grassy Shoot Disease (GSD) Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD), Leaf scald, Mosaic and Chlorotic streak are to be controlled before planting through seed treatment. Initially, healthy seed production schemes were started against one or two diseases such as

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chlorotic disease, RSD and leaf scald. Currently, these schemes are routinely practiced to maintain continuous supply of healthy seed cane to the growers. In all these seed production schemes, heat therapy (hot air, hot water, aerated steam or moist hot air) is the main component. By heat therapy, it is possible to eliminate RSD, GSD and smut, the main diseases responsible for varietal decline.

**Seed sugarcane nursery programme**

The bulkiness of seed cane material, the limited rate of multiplication and short life of seed cane pieces indicates that the seed source must be physically near the crop area. The necessity of producing seed on a local level emphasises the need to understand the certain principles involved in quality seed production. Production and availability of good quality healthy seed of varieties in cultivation and newly released varieties are of immense value from the point of sustaining varietal performance and management of diseases and pests. Hence, seed nurseries should be located very near to the planting locations and the role of sugar factory staff in organizing seed production and supply is very important. Many sugar mills have their own three-tier seed nursery programme. Under this programme, heat treated sets are planted for multiplication as primary nursery seed followed by secondary and commercial seed from which seed material are supplied to farmers for commercial planting. The procedures involve three stages of seed production viz. primary, secondary and commercial nursery.

**Primary seed nursery:** The seed cane of varieties received from research station or seed cane of varieties from selected healthy crop of suitable age are used to raise the primary nursery. The seed canes from selected plot subjected to heat treatment by any method and treated with fungicide are planted for production of primary seed. The crop should be given good nursery management practices and monitored to maintain the nursery crop free of mixtures, diseases and pests. Normally primary nursery is raised in sugar mill farms. Harvesting is done at the age of six to eight months.

**Secondary nursery:** Seed from primary nursery are distributed to selected farmers to raise secondary nursery. This is also maintained and monitored like primary nursery to keep it free from diseases, pests and mixtures. Harvesting of seed crop is taken up at the age of six to eight months and the seed distributed to farmers for raising commercial seed nursery.

**Commercial nursery:** Commercial nurseries are raised from seed of secondary nursery seed and are monitored like primary and secondary nursery so that good quality seed is made available to farmers. Normal rate of multiplication is 6-8 times and the nursery prograramme cane be planned in such a way that the whole plant crop area is planted with seed from commercial nurseries. Once heat-treated, the seed will remain free from diseases for about five years. Therefore, a well-planned scheme to replace seed once in every five years must be devised. The whole operational area can be divided into five sectors and one sector may be covered each year so that seed is replaced with heat-treated seed once in every five years.

The three-tier nursery programme is a must for every sugar factory to maintain a constant flow of good quality seed material of selected sugarcane varieties. But the factories must obtain nucleus or breeder seed of these varieties from research stations periodically to sustain the three-tier nursery programme and to maintain supply of quality seed free of mixtures, diseases and pests. If all suga mills follow the three-tier nursery programme and provid good quality seed of important varieties to farmers, the average yield per hectare can be pushed up by 10-12%

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Kinds of seed cane

A systematic programme for producing disease free seed to check the multiplication of diseases is essential The seed production programme consists of the following three steps commonly referred to as three-tier seed cane programme: -

i) **Breeder seed:** Breeder seed is produced under the direct supervision of the breeder/scientists and crop raised through heat treated seed at experimental farms seed cane centres. The breeder seed should confirme to highest standard of purity. It is better to produce breeder seed from heat-treated seed material once in three years. Breeder seed can be supplied to sugar mills for taking up primary nursery or it can be distributed to state seed producing agencies for the production of foundation and certified seed.

ii) **Foundation seed:** The foundation seed is generated from breeder seed. This can be produced either in sugar factory farms or seed farms of agricultural department or in progressive farmer's fields. Inspection and monitoring of crop by competent and qualified personnel is essential so as to maintain purity of variety and freedom from disease and pests. Foundation seed cane production is responsibility of the research and extension agencies. Foundation seed is harvested at the age of six to eight months and supplied for certified seed production.

iii) **Certified seed:** Foundation seed forms the source for the production of certified seed. It is produced in state seed farms or selected progressive farmers' fields. As in foundation seed, crop monitoring to maintain varietal purity and freedom from pests and diseases is necessary. Certified seed is harvested at the age of six to eight months and distributed to farmers for commercial planting.

In India, the seed is prepared manually. Farmers have a tendency to use the 1/3 top portion of non-flowered cane for seed purposes. Every state has got its sugarcane production and distribution programmes. Many states have sugarcane research and seed multiplication stations carrying research as well as seed production activities. Besides, many factories possess research and development wings and undertake seed production and supply to farmers of their respective areas. Meristern Tissue Culture facilities are owned and operated by many factories for supplying disease-free healthy seedlings to growers.

One stage nurseries and two stage nurseries are common. Both one and two stage nurseries must be kept weed free, adequately fertilized, and irrigated to avoid any stress to the seed cane. An inspection once a month is essential, and all diseased cane and off-types must be roughed out immediately it is identified on identification.

Production and availability of quality seed of sugarcane varieties is very important to sustain the varietal potential, for quick spread of varieties and management of diseases and pests. The quality of seed is also essential for establishment of a good crop initially and to realize a better crop performance ultimately. One of the main reasons for the wide disparities between potential yield and actual yield obtained and wide differences in performance of varieties even within narrow regions can be traced to non-availability of high standard seed and consequent use of poor quality seeds. At present there is no proper mechanism to ensure quality of seed received by farmers. The quality of seed depends on age of crop, growing conditions, varietal purity, and incidence of pests and diseases (Singh, 1993, Nagarajan, 2000).

**Age of crop:** Generally, sugarcane-planting material (sett) is derived from a 10 - 12 months old crop at harvesting age. When such matured cane are taken as seed material it is preferable to use only top portions of cane for seed purpose as the bottom portion is more mature and show slow and poor germination. Buds at lower portion are generally old, covered with thick scales and desiccated making them unsound and normally unfit for seed purpose (Lakshmikantham, 1973, Nagarajan, 2000). When bottom setts are used as
planting material seed borne diseases like wilt and grassy shoot diseases are likely to be carried in the seed material. If the setts are to be taken from mature crop, then top one-third portion or top two third portions should be removed and used for seed purpose.

Immature cane portion has all favourable factors for germination and establishment of a good crop. The cane top portion generally contains healthy buds, more moisture, nutrients and more reducing sugars (Sundara, 1998). Germinability of bud seems to be correlated with moisture and glucose content in bud tissue and it has an inverse relationship with their mineral content (Lakshrnikantharn, 1973). Hussainy (1951) reported that the germinating capacity of a sett varied inversely with its sucrose content and normally mature cane portions possess high sucrose content. An age of six to eight months has been found to be ideal for seed purpose and many workers recommend an exclusive seed nursery crop as the best option for production of good quality sugarcane seed.

**Crop management:** Lack of good seed production programme and use of poor quality seed material followed by poor management practices have been found to be the reasons attributed to degeneration of many varieties. (Sundara, 1998). Prefertilization of nursery crop about six. to eight weeks prior to harvest with fertilizer dose of 50 kg N, 25 kg P₂ 0, 25 kg K₂ O per ha is a recommended practice to obtain healthy seeds with more moisture, higher reducing sugar and nutrient content (Sundara, 1998). Hence, emphasis has been given by many on raising a healthy and wellnurtured seed nursery crop giving extra care and attention. Thus a well grown and appropriately managed nursery crop of six to eight months age is essential for the production of high quality seed material for the benefit of farmers.

**Diseases and pests:** One of the major objectives of sugarcane seed production has been the control of certain diseases transmitted through seed cane. The major diseases, which spread through seed pieces are smut, red rot, grassy shoot, ratoon stunting disease, chlorotic streak, leaf scald etc. The basic disease control measure is to use sound and healthy planting material. Inspection of source immediately prior to planting and ensuring freedom from diseases and pests will help in getting good quality planting material. The spread of diseases in seed cane and subsequent transmission in the field are the main causes of deterioration of commercial plantings. RSD has been reported as a major cause of deterioration of varieties through-out world followed by GSD, smut, wilt, red rot and other diseases. Hence, disease free, healthy seed is very essential for retaining the potential performance of varieties as well as to have good control of diseases and some of the pests carried through seed cane pieces. A healthy cane should be genetically pure, derived from plant crop unaffected from diseases, pests, drought and water logging. There should be good germination of buds and production of vigorous tillers indicating the genetic potential.

Heat therapy has been reported to be one of the ways to eliminate fully or partially certain disease causing organisms in seed cane prior to planting. Heat treatment of seed is known to kill the sett borne pathogens and impair their vital functions at a temperature which is not detrimental to sugarcane (Misra, 2003). Humidified air has been reported as a better source of heat transfer than dry air and it does not lead to desiccation of sugarcane setts and sprouting of buds is also not affected.

**Hot water treatment:** The method consists of immersing setts in tanks containing hot water for specific time. The temperature is regulated by means of a thermostat. The setts are treated for specific time at a particular temperature. Two types of hot water treatments are in vogue. Long time hot water treatment at 50°C for two hours and short time hot water treatment at 52°C for 20 minutes. The long hot water treatment is preferred over short hot water treatment because of better sprouting of buds as well as disease control. Hot

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water treatment has been reported to be effective against the diseases RSD, GSD, smut and red rot. Softening of setts and damage to buds are some of the disadvantages of this method.

**Aerated steam treatment:** Edison and Ramakrishnan (1972) devised this system. Setts or cut canes are placed in trays and kept inside the chamber of the unit. Steam and air are mixed together in a chamber and passed inside the treatment chamber at a fixed temperature. The setts are treated for one hour at 50°C. This system is very effective against GSD. No adverse effect has been reported,

**Moist hot air treatment:** The Moist hot air treatment system was developed by Srivastava et al (1979). Full length canes or setts of desired length are loaded inside a treatment chamber and treated at 54°C for two to three hours. Maintenance of high humidity (above 95 %) inside the treatment chamber is essential to avoid desiccation of buds. This system is considered to be effective against many seed borne diseases of sugarcane such as GSD, RSD, smut, red rot and leaf scald.

**Hot air treatment:** Dry heat is produced in heating chamber by means of electric heaters placed at different points inside the chamber. A reverse exhaust fan maintains air circulation. The treatment of seed canes is done for eight hours at the temperature of 58°C. Drying of canes and desiccation of buds are the undesirable effects of the treatment.

**Heat therapy and 3-tier nursery programme:** Hot air, moist hot air, water, aerated steam treatments have proven effective in eliminating sett-borne infection of grassy shoot and ratoon-stunting diseases. In moist hot air treatment, the unstripped canes are subjected to 54°C for 2-3 hours. In hot water treatment, setts are immersed in hot water for 2 hour at 50°C. In aerated steam treatment, 3-budded setts are treated with aerated steam at 52°C for 1 hour. A 3-tier seed nursery programme was developed to maintain disease free, healthy sugarcane crop and it has been adopted of very large scale under seed-production programme.

## Sugarcane seed certification

Seed production is different from crop production seed production programme is successful only if it can make available sufficient quantity of high quality seed at the required time, at a reasonable cost and at the place where it is needed. A good quality seed should have high germination and vigour, pure genetically and physically, free from seed borne diseases and free from insect damage. Systematic seed production is required for the improvement of varietal performance and management of diseases and pests. The good quality seed can be produced by controlling the seed production. This control is exercised in two ways: Seed multiplication is arranged in such a way so as to avoid the risk of genetic contamination and by fixing minimum field and seed standards and checking at an appropriate time. To ensure and exercise this control, seed certification is necessary. Seed certification is the process designed to secure, maintain and make available high quality seed and propagating materials of superior crop plant varieties, so grown and distributed as to ensure desirable standards of genetic and physical purity and other quality attributes (Anonymous, 1972). Seed Certification is performed in five phases. A. Verification of land requirements; B. Verification of seed source; C. Inspection of the seed crop in the field; D. Inspection and testing of each seed lot and seed sample during processing and bagging and E. Tagging, labelling and sealing to identify the seed.

Inspections are made in the field on the standing seed crops and later tests are made in the laboratory on representative seed samples collected from the seed crops which were inspected and approved at the field stage for conformity to prescribed standards. In sugarcane now that the seed certification standards are available, the methodologies for implementing the standards are to be refined wherever necessary.

## Seed standards

Age of the seed cane crop at harvest for seed purpose should be 6 to 8 months and 8 to 10 months for the
sowing in tropics and sub-tropics respectively. Seed cane material should be undamaged and reasonably clean.

Each node of seed cane shall bear on one sound bud. The number of nodes without sound bud shall not exceed 5% (by number) of the total number of buds per seed cane. The number of buds, which have swollen up or have projected beyond one centimeter from the rind surface, shall not exceed 5% (by number) of the total number of buds.

## I. Application of general seed certification standards

The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and together with the following specific standards constitute the standards for certification of sugarcane seed cane.

The certified classes shall be produced from seed canes and / or meri-clones whose sources - and identity may be assured and approved by the Certification Agency.

## II. Land requirements

(i) A Seed crop of sugarcane shall not be eligible for certification if planted on land on which sugarcane was grown in the previous season.

(ii) Land/seed crop shall be kept free from sugarcane residues and drainage from other sugarcane fields.

## II. Heat treatment (As prescribed)

Foundation Stage (I) shall be raised from heat-treated seed cane.

<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Sl. No.</th><th rowspan="2">Factors</th><th rowspan="2">Stage of field inspection</th><th colspan="2">Maximum permissible limits (%)</th></tr><tr><th>Foundation</th><th>Certified</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Off-types</td><td>I, II, III</td><td>None</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="10">2</td><td>Plants affected with designated diseases</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Red rot</td><td>I, II, III</td><td>None</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Smut</td><td>I</td><td>0.02*</td><td>0.10*</td></tr><tr><td>II</td><td>0.01*</td><td>0.10*</td></tr><tr><td>III</td><td>None</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td>Grassy shoot</td><td>II</td><td>0.05*</td><td>0.50*</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Wilt</td><td>III</td><td>None</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td>II</td><td>0.01*</td><td>0.01*</td></tr><tr><td>Leaf scald</td><td>II</td><td>0.01*</td><td>0.05*</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">3</td><td>Plants affected by designated insect-pests</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Top borer</td><td>II & III</td><td>5.0</td><td>5.0</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Internode Borer</td><td rowspan="2">III</td><td>10.0*</td><td>10.0</td></tr><tr><td>None*</td><td>None*</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Stalk Borers</td><td rowspan="2">III</td><td>20.0*</td><td>20.0*</td></tr><tr><td>None*</td><td>None*</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Plassey borer, Gurdaspur bores, scale insect, mealy bug</td><td rowspan="2">III</td><td>5.0*</td><td>5.0*</td></tr><tr><td>None*</td><td>None*</td></tr></tbody></table>
**III. Field inspection:** A minimum of three inspected shall be made as under:

**Stage-I:** The first inspection shall be made at 45-60 after planting in order to verify isolation and detect volume plants, designated diseases and pests and other release factors. 2

**Stage-II:** The second inspection shall be made at 120 days after planting to verify off-type, designated disease and pests and other relevant factors.

**Stage-III:** The third inspection shall be made 15 à prior to the harvesting of seed canes to verify the age cane, off-types, designated diseases and pests and ot relevant factors.

**IV. Field standard: General requirements**

**Isolation:** The sugarcane seed production fields shall be isolated from other fields with a minimum distance of 5 to avoid mechanical mixture of other varieties.

**Designated diseases shall be**

1. Red rot [*Glomerella tucumanensis* (Speg.) Arx & Muller]

2. Smut [*Ustilago scitaminea* (Sydow)]

3. Wilt (*Cephalosporium sacchari* Butler)

4. Grassy shoot disease (Mycoplasma-like-organism)

5. Leaf scald [*Xanthomonas albilineans* (Ashby) Dowson]

**Designated Insect-Pests shall be**

1. Top bores (*Scirpophaga excerptalis* Wlk.)

2. Internode borer (*Chilo sacchariphagus indicus* Kapur)

3. Stalk borer (*Chilo auricilius* Ddgn.)

4. Plassey borer [*Chilo tumidicostalis* (Hmpsn.)]

5. Gurdaspur borer (*Acogpma steniellus* Hmpsn.)

6. Scale insect (Melanaspis glomerata green.)

7. Mealy bug. (*Sacchariphagus sacchari* Cockerell)

**Note**

1. All off-types and diseased plants shall be rouged out along with roots and destroyed.

2. Maximum permissible limits for the stripping of dry foliage shall be 2.0%

3. The crop should not have more than 10% lodged canes.

* Seed canes should not have nodal roots. In waterlogged areas, relaxation may be given up to a maximum of 5%.

* Moisture in seed cane should not be less than 65% on wet weight basis.

* Germinability of buds should not be less than 85% Physical purity of seed should be 98%. Genetic purity of seed should be 100%

**References :**

Anonymous 1972 Field Inspection manual. National Seeds Corporation Ltd., USAID and the Rockefeller Foundation, New Delhi, India.

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Edison, Sand K. Ramakrishnan, 1972. Aerated steam therapy for tile control of grassy shoot disease (GSD) of sugarcane. Mysore J.Agric.Sci.6: 492-494.

Hussainy, S. A. 1951. On certain factors affecting germination of sugarcane setts. Proc. 1" Blen. Conf. part II (1): 24-36.

Lakshmikantham, M. 1973. Technology of sugarcane growing. Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University. Hyderabad Publication. pp: 37-50.

Mishra, S. R. 2003. Recent advances in seed production of sugarcane. Crop Sug. 34 (10): p 805-808.

Nagarajan, R. 2000. Seed nursery programme in sugarcane. 32nd meeting of sugarcane research and development workers of Tamilnadu. P. 174-176.

Singh, R. P. 1993. Healthy seed cane and its production. technology. Sugarcane research and development in subtropical India. Edited by Singh, G. B. and O. K. Sinha.

Srinivasan, T. V. and Jalaja, N. C. 1979. Tissue culture in Saccharum and allied genera. Intergeneric hybrids. 3rd Annual Conference of Plant Tissue Culture Association of India, University of Jodhpur, Jodhpur.

Srivastava, N. S. L., Singh, K and M. P. Sharma, 1979. The IISR moist hot air treatment plant for seed cane. Sugar News, 9:96-102. Sundara, B. 1998. Sugarcane cultivation. Vikas. Publishing house Pvt. Ltd.

***

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