MODULE VARIETY TESTING AND RELEASE, SEED PRODUCTION AND
DISTRIBUTION OF COMMERCIAL VARIETIES IN THE
5 PHILIPPINES
I. Module Overview
In 1992, upon the approval of Republic Act No. 7308, otherwise known as the Seed
Industry Development Act of 1992, the National Seed Industry Council was created. The council
replaced the former Philippine Seed Board which was responsible for the approval and
registration of crop varieties.
II. Learning Objectives
Upon the completion of this module, the students will be able to:
1. Know variety testing and release, seed production and distribution of commercial
varieties in the Philippines.
2. Analyze existing agricultural laws, rules, regulations, and related policies..
III. Content Focus
I. The Philippine National Seed Industry Council (NSIC)
NATIONAL SEED INDUSTRY COUNCIL=is the new name of the Philippines Seed board as
per Republic Act. No. 7308 since March 27, 1992
The cultural practices in seed production are identical with those applied for normal
market. However, these are some requirements that seed production differed from normal
market production.
The requirements are as follows:
1. SEED SOURCE - use of an appropriate class and approved source is necessary for raising a
seed crop.
FOUR CLASSES OF SEEDS
1. breeder’s seeds
2. foundation seed Recognized in Seed Certification
3. registered seed
4. certified seeds
THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Secretary, Department of Agriculture- Chairman
2. Director, Bureau of Plant and Industry- Vice Chairman and Executive Director
3. Dean, UPCA- Member
4. Director, Institute of Plant Breeding- Member
5. Crops Research Director PCARRD-Member
6. Director, Phil Rice- Member
7. Two representative from accredited farmer’s organization
8. One representative from the seed industry.
2. ISOLATION - required when raising a seed crop to avoid contamination due to natural
crossing pollination and disease infection caused by wind and insects from neighboring field
during sowing, harvesting, threshing, and handling of seed to avoid mechanical mixture.
3. FIELD INSPECTION - role of seed inspector is obligatory to check the isolation distance
requirement, off types, presence of other crops weeds and disease.
4. ROGUING - is the process of removing undesirable plants from the main crop. Such plants
are commonly called rouges and they may be weeds, plants of other crop species, plants of
another cultivar of the same species, or off-type plants i.e. genetic variants which haves arisen
within the cultivar.
3. FIELD INSPECTION-role
of seed inspector is
obligatory to check the
isolation distance
requirement, off types,
presence of other crops
weeds and disease.
4. ROGUING- is the
process of removing
undesirable plants from
the main crop. Such
plants
are commonly called
rouges and they may be
weeds, plants of other
crop species, plants of
another cultivar of the
same species, or off-type
plants i.e. genetic
variants which haves
arisen
within the cultivar.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
IN DETERMINIGN
DISTINCTNESS OF THE
CROP
1. Maturity- various crop
species reach maturity
stage at different
2. Morphological
differences:
a. growth habits b. leaves
and stems c. flowers and
fruits
3. Uniformity of the
cultivar
TIMING OF ROGUING
-the best time is when
the crop is in full bloom
for during this stage
cultivar characters
ARE MOSTF FULLY
EXPRESSED AND
DIFFERENCES ARE MOST
OBVIOUS
5. CLIMATE- similar
climatic factors which
influences the growing of
commercial crops also
act on seed production.
However it is advisable to
select a dry climate or
least a season with
low air humidity. A hot
and dry atmosphere is
recommended. This
condition is unfavorable
for
growth of pests disease
and enhances the drying
of the seeds.
6. TIME OF HARVESTING-
delaying harvest after
seed maturation is the
same as “storing”
seeds in the field under
unfavorable levels of
humidity and
temperature . Seeds
should be
harvested at the point of
physiological maturity.
Physiological maturity of
seeds is defined
the maturity of a seed
when it reaches its
maximum viability/
germination and vigor
capability.
SEED PROCESSING AND
DRYING
1. Seed Threshing/ Seed
extraction
a. Seeds drying on the
plant. Example: peanut,
mungbean, rice
b. Seeds in moist fleshy
fruits: Example: eggplant
c. Seed in wet fleshy
fruits: Example: Tomato
2. Drying of seeds.
Very moist seed with a
moisture of 18%, the
drying temperature must
not exceed 35°C.
Under 18% moisture, the
seed can safely be dried
with air of 35-40°C and
under 10% with air
45°C. The seeds must be
dried to a moisture
content of not more than
8% for oily seeds
(Brassica and cucurbits0)
or for very small seeds,
and not more than 14%
for large seeds; corn;
rice, and legumes.
* Hybrid Rice Seed
Production
Production of hybrid seed
(AxR)
A- Cytoplasmic male
sterile
R- Restorer line
Selection of land- field
should be free from
weeds and volunteer
plants from the previous
paddy crop.
Isolation-the most
important factor to be
considered for the
production of quality
seed. Space
isolation of at least
100m from seed
production plots to
other rice varieties is
normally
FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN DETERMINIGN DISTINCTNESS OF THE CROP
1. Maturity- various crop species reach maturity stage at different
2. Morphological differences:
a. growth habits b. leaves and stems c. flowers and fruits
3. Uniformity of the cultivar
TIMING OF ROGUING
- the best time is when the crop is in full bloom for during this stage cultivar characters
ARE MOSTF FULLY EXPRESSED AND DIFFERENCES ARE MOST OBVIOUS
5. CLIMATE - similar climatic factors which influences the growing of commercial crops also
act on seed production. However, it is advisable to select a dry climate or least a season with low
air humidity. A hot and dry atmosphere is recommended. This condition is unfavorable for
growth of pest’s disease and enhances the drying of the seeds.
6. TIME OF HARVESTING- delaying harvest after seed maturation is the same as “storing”
seeds in the field under unfavorable levels of humidity and temperature. Seeds should be
harvested at the point of physiological maturity. Physiological maturity of seeds is defined the
maturity of a seed when it reaches its maximum viability/ germination and vigor capability.
SEED PROCESSING AND DRYING
1. Seed Threshing/ Seed extraction
a. Seeds drying on the plant. Example: peanut, mungbean, rice
b. Seeds in moist fleshy fruits: Example: eggplant
c. Seed in wet fleshy fruits: Example: Tomato
2. Drying of seeds.
Very moist seed with a moisture of 18%, the drying temperature must not exceed 35°C.
Under 18% moisture, the seed can safely be dried with air of 35-40°C and under 10% with air
45°C. The seeds must be dried to a moisture content of not more than 8% for oily seeds (Brassica
and cucurbits0) or for very small seeds, and not more than 14% for large seeds; corn; rice, and
legumes.
* Hybrid Rice Seed Production
Production of hybrid seed (AxR)
A- Cytoplasmic male sterile
R- Restorer line
Selection of land- field should be free from weeds and volunteer plants from the previous
paddy crop.
Isolation - the most important factor to be considered for the production of quality seed. Space
isolation of at least 100m from seed production plots to other rice varieties is
normally satisfactory for quality hybrid seed production. It is safer to have an isolation distance
of up to 200m for male sterile (A Line) multiplication, while for B and R line multiplication the
area to avoid varieties, an isolation distance of 3 and 5 m is sufficient.
Time isolation - time isolation 30 days is satisfactory. This means that the flowering stage of the
parental lines in the seed production field should be at least 30 days earlier or later than that of
other varieties grown within the area to avoid contamination by pollen.
Nursery bed preparation and sowing
-given the high cost of [Link] is essential to raise the nursery in a well-managed field if healthy
and rubost seedlings are to be obtained. The normal recommendation is 1 kg of parental
line seed in an area of 40 m². for 1 ha of main 12.5 kg of A line seed and 5 kg of R line seed are
required.
Staggered sowing of parental lines for flowering synchrony
-hybrid seed set on the female line depends primarily on its flowering synchronization with the R
line; the sowing of male and female lines must therefore be planned to achieve this. The duration
of the male line is 10days more than that of the female line.
Transplanting –conventional high-yielding varieties may be transplanted once the nursery crop
is 25-30 days old; but in hybrid seed production plots transplanting may commence (depending
on the difference in duration of the A and R lines) when 21-35 days old.
Transplanting of too young of very old seedlings may either delay accelerate flowering and
affect tiller number.
- the long –duration parental line must be transplanted first in order to
obtained good synchronization at flowering.
Transplanting R lines
- paired rows with 15 cm spacing between plants.
- seedlings of different ages transplanted in a sequential order (e.g I,II,III, then again
I,II,III)
- single seedlings per hill with row-to-row spacing of 15 or 30 cm (as per recommendation)
in
- the main field.
Transplanting A Lines
- Six rows with 15 cm spacing between the paired rows of R line seedlings is the normal
- recommendation in many Asian countries.
- One seedling per hill with a spacing of 15x15 cm.
- In India, spacing of 30 cm between A line and R line rows to facilitate bumper male.
- growth and supplementary pollination. In China, A:R row ratio varies from 2:8 to 2:14.
Row Ratio, Spacing and Direction
-seeds parents and pollen parents planted in a specific row ratio and with specific spacing have a
marked effect on seed yields. A row ratio of 6:2 seed parent to pollen parent has proven very
effective. Row direction perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction at flowering stage allows
easy pollen dispersal on the seed parent.
Weed Management
-farmyard manure (FYM) at a rate of least 10t/ha and a dose of 120: 60:40 kg/ha NPK is
recommended in the main field. In order to achieve optimum fertilizer-use efficiency, it is
recommended that the fertilizer be placed in the root zone with split application: one basal and
two top dressing, at tillering and at panicle initiation. In general, split application of N will
prolong the pollen supply of the male line and increase tillering capacity.
II. Seed regulations (See attached file “REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7308”). Please do read.
IV. References
Seed certification - IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank. (n.d.).
[Link]
quality-fact-sheet-category/item/seed-certification-fact-sheet
Seed technology. (n.d.). [Link]