BERSEEM- Intricacies of Seed Production in India

BERSEEM Intricacies of Seed Production in India

D. Vijay N. Manjunatha A. Maity By Sanjay Kumar V. K. Wasnik C. K. Gupta V. K. Yadav P. K. Ghosh

ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute Jhansi-284 003, Uttar Pradesh, India ICAR-IGFRI Technical Bulletin, 2017

Citation: Vijay, D., Manjunatha, N., Maity, A., Sanjay Kumar, Wasnik, V. K., Gupta, C. K., Yadav, V. K. and Ghosh, P. K. (2017) BERSEEM- Intricacies of Seed Production in India. Technical Bulletin. ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. Pp. 47

Published on: February, 2017

Published by: Director ICAR-Indian Grassland and fodder Research Institute Jhansi-284 003, Uttar Pradesh, India.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system without the permission in writing from the copyright owners.

Cover page design: D. Vijay and C. K. Gupta

Printed at: Darpan Printers and Lamination, Agra lR;eso t;rs

FOREWORD India faces acute shortage of green fodder due to many reasons and non-availability of quality seeds is one of the key reason. Currently, the availability of quality seeds is approximately 30 percent in cultivated fodder crops. Berseem is an important fodder crop of northern-India in rabi season. Lack of proper seed production technological skills, berseem growers are unable to realize full potential of seed production. Further, farmers are sceptical about benefit cost ratio of seed production in Berseem as they have to sacrifice summer forage to opt for seed in Berseem. This entails for dissemination of production technology of berseem seed among different stakeholders to increase availability of berseem seed in the country.

Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), a premier Institute under umbrella of Indian Council of Agriculture Research constantly strives to bring cutting-edge research and technological interventions in forage crops. It has developed many technologies in quality seed production of various forage crops including berseem. The publication entitled 'BERSEEM- Intricacies of Seed Production in India' is a welcome step towards fulfilling the long pending demand of various stakeholders associated with Berseem cultivation. This bulletin encompasses information right through variety status to quality seed production of berseem with suitable technological interventions. Entire gamut of Berseem seed production technology has been brought at single window in the form of this crisp bulletin.

I am happy that authors have included the details of berseem seed import and its analysis along with berseem seed production problems and way forward strategies which will be helpful in policy decisions. Further, I extend my sincere congratulations to entire group of authors to bring this important publication.

(T. MOHAPATRA)

Dated the 13th February, 2017 New Delhi

PREFACE

Seed, being basic unit of agriculture acts as carrier of technology for a given crop and to upkeep its quality genetic vigour is paramount. Simultaneously, productivity and availability of quality seed in the market is essential to channelize the effort of researchers who develops the variety and its production packages. Currently, India is facing acute shortage in availability of seeds of many forage crops, berseem being foremost of those. India imports approx. 10000 tonnes of berseem seed annually resulting in huge loss to foreign exchequer. No reliable data is available regarding quantity of indigenous seed production of Berseem and the seed status is an elusive issue. Recently, efforts made by the Division of Seed Technology at ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (ICAR-IGFRI) has led to the development of several technological interventions where farmers can be easily convinced for seed production in berseem fetching better return compared to other competitive crops. Presently, IGFRI is the only ICAR institute in the country which produces breeder seed of Berseem along with few State Agricultural Universities and hence it is difficult to meet out the huge demand of entire country by these few Institutes. Therefore, it is imperative to create awareness and sensitize the seed growers to come forward for berseem seed production while simultaneously making available the production technology in crisp form. The present bulletin is being brought up to fulfil the long pending demand for a comprehensive information booklet on berseem. The intricacies of seed production starting from the demand to import status were discussed in various chapters. The bulletin also describes the status of berseem crop and its future adoptable areas under changing climate. The varietal scenario in berseem was listed out to have a ready reference. The bulletin serves the purpose of hand book for berseem crop cultivation and crop protection. The SWOT analysis on berseem seed production in India and the Way Forward chapter helps the policy makers to take subtle decisions in berseem seed arena. The authors are highly thankful to all the stakeholders who raised various queries at various fora regarding availability and production constraints of berseem seed. Actually such discussions help us in designing the content and scope of this bulletin. We are also grateful to AICRP (FCU) for providing breeder seed information and entire staff (present and past) of the Division of Seed Technology, IGFRI who are integral to the development of berseem seed production technology over long period are also acknowledged for their indispensable contribution.

Authors

CONTENTS

Sl. No. Title Page No. 1. Introduction 1 2. Botanical Description 4 3. Pollination Dynamics 6 4. Crop and Varietal Status in India 8 5. Crop Improvement 15 6. Crop Cultivation 17 7. Crop Protection 21 8. Seed Quality Maintenance 25 9. Seed Status in India 28 10. IGFRI Foot Print in Berseem Seed Realm 33 11. Problems and Prospects of Seed Production 37 12. Technological Interventions for Seed Enhancement 41 13. Way Forward 44 14. Literature cited 46

Introduction

Berseem, known as king of fodder crops, is popular among livestock farmers of the world. It belongs to the clover group and internationally famous as Egyptian Clover. Botanically it is known as Trifolium alexandrinum L. Berseem is one of the oldest cultivated clovers, domesticated in Egypt and later introduced into many other parts of the world. It is now widespread in the irrigated regions of west and south Asia. Among the berseem growing countries, India is having highest area under berseem with around 2 million ha followed by Egypt (1.1 million ha) and Pakistan (0.71 million ha) (Muhammad et al., 2014). Seed quality is a problem in most of the countries particularly where farmers are not much aware of the quality ensuring laws. Egypt is the major exporter of berseem seed in the world meeting the stringent quality standards of Europe. Berseem is one of the major rabi forage crops in northern region of India and occupies maximum area among forage crops during winter season (Hazra, 1995). It is an annual leguminous crop, well adapted to the semi-arid conditions of the Northern India with good nitrogen fixing ability. The berseem fodder is highly palatable due to its succulence and is also highly nutritious (20% CP and 62% TDN) for livestock. This crop provides fodder for a long season i.e., from November to May in five to six cuts with as much as 70-80 tonnes green fodder per hectare. It behaves as a most potent milk multiplier in the lactating buffaloes, sahiwal cows and crossbreed cattle as compared to other forage crops. The milch animals can produce 12 to 15 litre of milk per day with a supplemental concentrate of only one kg along with this fodder. The additional advantage of berseem cultivation is its ability to substantial improvement in soil fertility. Because of these reasons, there is an increasing demand for berseem in India. It is also commonly grown in mixtures with brassica and sometimes with oat to have bulk of green fodder in early cuts. Since the crop does not tolerate close and frequent grazing, the cut and carry system is adopted to provide green feed to stall-fed-cattle and buffaloes. Among the fodder crops, the area under berseem cultivation is next to that of sorghum (Hazra, 1995). In India, there are several popular improved varieties of berseem are there and new varieties are being released regularly through different breeding approaches. The quantity of berseem seed production is increasing steadily in India with the increased usage by the livestock sector in India. India is one of the major berseem seed importing nations. The present bulletin describes the berseem in total with emphasis on seed production problem and prospects under Indian conditions. Origin and spread Berseem doesn't have original wild forms. Its probable origin is South West Asia and was naturalized in Northern Africa and Western Asia. About the origin there are several claims by several authors. As per Frame (2005) it is eastern Mediterranean whereas, Knight (1985) says Syria as its origin. Turkey also claims with its availability in wild forms. It was introduced into Egypt in 6th Century and to India and Pakistan in 19th century (Knight, 1985). Later it was spread into South Africa, USA and Australia in 20th century. At present berseem is cultivated in around 23 countries

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 1 Fig. 1: Berseem growing countries in the world

viz., India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Australia, USA (California, south western USA), Indonesia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Algeria, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Italy, France, China and Nepal, spread over five continents (Fig.1). Out of these, it is grown in large areas in India, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa, southern Europe and eastern Australia. Crop utility Berseem is mainly used as green fodder. The high digestibility (up to 65%) along with high palatability, good forage quality (20% crude protein), long duration of green fodder availability (November-May) have made it best kind of fodder. Berseem is not suitable for hay due to high water content in the succulent stems. However, during late spring, the high temperatures help in hay preparation. Leaf drop from dry plants is another problem in berseem hay. Berseem on its own is not suitable for ensiling. However, in combination with cereals ensiling is possible. Recent studies indicated that it can be ensiled and preserved well with low pH and high lactic acid content and low proportion of Non Protein Nitrogen (Mustafa and Seguin, 2003). Berseem being a legume is having a high nitrogen fixing ability resulting in improvement of soil fertility. Recent studies show that berseem can be used for phytoremediation of heavy metals viz., Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn due to its multi-cut nature, short life cycle and production of considerable biomass (Ali et al., 2012). Berseem is also a valuable source for honey. The success of any crop production depends mainly on the availability of the seed, which is the basic input of agriculture. Quality seeds enhance the yield. Enhancement of biomass production to the tune of 30-40 per cent was observed by using quality seed material (Singh, 1995). In general, the seed yield in forages is comparatively low due to lower seed setting ability. The productivity of berseem in India is far lower than the major berseem producing countries of the

2 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India world especially, Egypt. Another main reason for the shortage is growing of berseem for forage instead of seed by majority of the Indian farmers. The ever increasing demand for berseem seed is confirmed by the increase in import of berseem seeds into the country. In 2015-16 itself, 10376 MT of Berseem seed was imported from abroad. This shows the potentiality for berseem seed production and marketing in India. But, due to its low productivity and more demand for fodder during lean period the commercial seed production was not highly successful in India.

Berseem seedling Berseem seed

Berseem field

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 3 2

Botanical Description

Berseem belongs to one of the largest and most useful plant family leguminosae, sub family faboideae and tribe trifolieae. The genus Trifolium contains 242 species of which 16 are cultivated species and all are forage crops (Zohary and Heller, 1984). Trifolium alexandrinum L. is commonly known as Egyptian Clover or Berseem. Habit It is a fast growing annual crop with 30-60 cm plant height. The stem is hollow and succulent. Both basal and /or stem branching is observed. Roots do not extend beyond two feet in general and contains nodules. It is sparingly hairy and commonly possess trifoliate, petiolate leaves. Leaves are membranous, oblong-elliptical to oblong-lanceolate and are arranged alternately except the uppermost leaf. Leaflets are mucronate at the apex and denticulate in. Inflorescence is head, terminally or auxiliary located and pedunculate with conical to ovoid in shape. There is a small involucre at the base of the head. Calyx tube displays ten prominent nerves while the corolla is almost double the height of the calyx. Each inflorescence contains around 100 papilionaceous flowers, white in colour with around 1cm length. At maturity each floret contains one single seed. Seeds are solitary and small in size. Seed is egg shaped, yellowish in colour and is of around 2mm in length. Habitat Berseem grows in areas where average rainfall ranges between 300-750 mm. In its traditional areas berseem is cultivated from about 35°N to the tropic as a winter crop. In the Himalayan region berseem can be grown as a winter crop up to about 1500 m altitude. It has frost tolerance to some extent. Soil It can grow in variable soil types. The most preferable one is loamy soil. It cannot tolerate waterlogging condition but moderately tolerant to saline condition. Ploidy Berseem contains both diploid and tetraploid varieties. Its basic chromosome number is 2n = 16. Types Based on regeneration capacity and branching pattern three different ecotypes viz., Mescavi, Fahli and Saidi are reported in berseem. The mescavi type has very good regeneration potential and is capable of 5-6 cuts with basal or crown branching pattern and is the most popular type with large number of varieties in India belong to this group. Fahli is a stem branching type with low regeneration potential and is suitable for single cut only. Saidi is having moderate regeneration capacity allowing 2-3 cuts and possess both basal and stem branching. Berseem was introduced

4 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India to India in 1903 (Roy et al., 2009). Of the two ecotypes, mescavi and fahli introduced to India, the former was adapted well to Indian conditions and became one of the major forage crops of rabi season. Most of the present day cultivars are derivatives of Mescavi. Floral biology In berseem white coloured flowers are produced in cluster (Fig. 2a & d) which are hermaphrodite in nature with five fused sepals and five free petals. The upper large petal which covers the rest of the petals in bud stage is called standard petal, while two bottom petals are fused together and formed a boat-like structure called the keel (Fig 2b). The stamens are always ten in number and their filaments are fused in a group of 9+1 (Fig. 2c). Berseem is a cross pollinated plant and is entomophilous in nature. Anthesis occurs in the morning hours which coincides with maximum pollinator activity, leads to seed setting.

a b

c d

Fig. 2: (a) Inflorescence (b) Arrangement of petals (c) Gynoecium and androecium (d) Opening bud

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 5 3

Pollination Dynamics

Berseem is an entomophilous cross pollinated crop. Pollination totally depends on floral biology and pollinator diversity. The typical structure of flower in berseem requires tripping for the pollination to commence. Tripping by honey bees is the most common method in nature. This again is varying with the genotypes, locations, abundance of pollinators and weather parameters (Fig. 3). The weather plays a Fig. 3: Different components of berseem pollination dynamics crucial role both in the activity of pollinators and on pollen availability. The interaction of these various parameters in a positive way is highly essential for a successful seed production. Pollination behaviour Trifolium genus have both annual and perennial species but most of the perennial species (T. pretense) are known to be self-incompatible (gametophytic) in nature. The annual species viz., berseem is in dilemma with regards to self-fertility and infertility. Some researcher considered the species as cross fertilized (Latif et al., 1956) while others reported berseem as a self- compatible (El-Shahawyand Gheit, 2001 and Abdalla et al., 2008). Studies on berseem reported that seed setting was highest under open field and caged with bee hive than caging without bee and selfing (without tripping) conditions. The introduction of honey bee to berseem grown plots improved the seed setting, which indicated that berseem is self-compatible but needs stimulating agents (honeybee or tripping) to set seeds due to relative position of male and female organs and the presence of bubbles on stigma. Roy et al., (2005) studied sixteen berseem populations and based on results these populations were categorized into four different groups viz., self- compatible & self-pollinating (group 1),self-compatible requiring tripping (group 2), self- incompatible with broad genetic base (group 3), self-incompatible with narrow genetic base (group 4) (Fig. 4). It was observed that caging of plants without any pollinators drastically reduced the seed setting in some populations but hand tripping in these populations under caged conditions increased the seed setting (group 2, 3 & 4) which showed that these populations are self-fertile in nature.

6 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 80 e

c 70 n e c

s 60 o

r Treatments o l

f 50

n Group 1 1. Open pollination I

40 Group 2

d 2. Caged (without

e Group 3

e pollinators)

s 30 Group 4 e

g 3. Caged (hand tripping)

a 20 r

e 4. Caged (with bee) v 10 A 0 1 2 3 4 Treatments

Fig. 4: Variation in average seed set in four groups under different treatments (Roy et al., 2005) Plant-pollinators Interaction Berseem is an insect pollinated crop and among insects, honey bees are playing important role in pollination. Therefore, berseem seed production has now become a challenge to the seed producers in the changing weather pattern. During peak flowering time different bee's viz., A. florea, A. dorsata and A. indica visit berseem flowers. Among them, Apisdorsata was predominant pollinator with good frequency followed by A. florea. Peak activity of pollinators was observed at around 11 AM which is considered as best time for pollination followed by drop in the activity during noon time.Even though bee activity again increases in the afternoon, those bees are assumed to be nectar collectors rather than pollen gatherers. A study showed that A. dorsata mainly targets upper strata of canopy (Fig. 5), while A. florea forages in lower strata of flowers (Fig.6). A. dorsata spent lesser time per flower and visited more flowers per minute than that of A. florea. Thus, it was suggested that A. dorsata is more effective pollinators in berseem. However, this again depends from place to place and on the presence of various bee populations in the vicinity of crop under natural conditions. Further study is needed in detail to confirm the observation and designing strategic interventions to enhance bee foraging in berseem seed production plot to increase seed setting.

Fig. 5: Foraging and pollination by Apis dorsata Fig. 6: Foraging and pollination by Apis florea in in the upper strata of berseem head the lower strata of berseem head

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 7 4

Crop and Variety Status in India

Berseem is one of the important winter forage crops in India. It spread very fast after its introduction in 1903, in the Northern regions of the country due to its various advantages particularly among small farm holders. The lack of suitable climate restricted it to further spread in the southern parts of the country. Crop status In North India, mainly in four states the berseem production is in large tracts. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana produces berseem to the maximum extent. Based on the available information of major berseem growing districts and climatic data (~1950 to 2000) with 2.5 minutes' resolution, the suitable berseem growing regions were predicted (Vijay, unpublished data). The Figure 7 depicts the probable regions for berseem growth based on D O M A I N m o d e l o f predicting the species by taking into consideration of eight climate parameters viz., Fig. 7: Suitable regions for growing berseem based on present i) Annual Mean Temperature ii) climate data (~1950-2000) Isothermality iii) Temperature seasonality iv) Maximum temperature of warmest month v) Minimum temperature of coldest month vi) Temperature annual range vii) Annual precipitation viii) Precipitation seasonality. The probability has been divided into eight categories with less than 50 to 100 percent. This prediction shows the possibility to grow the berseem crop in few more states. Parts of Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Bihar have greater probability followed by other states like Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Telangana as their climates are suitable to take up the crop may be to small extent.

8 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India The climate change in the subcontinent which is already being felt in the changed pattern of rainfall and temperature will affect the crop status in future in India. To foresee the berseem crop status in India, the future climate data (2xCO2 climate conditions, CCM3 (NCAR C o m m u n i t y C l i m a t e Model)) with 2.5 minutes' resolution was used to predict the change in the berseem growing regions based on DOMAIN model at the same scale of present c l i m a t e d a t a ( Vi j a y, unpublished data). Subtle changes in the regions of high probability in Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Fig. 8: Suitable regions for growing berseem based on future climate data (2xCO , CCM3) and Bihar were noticed 2 based on future climate data. Increased probability of suitable conditions for berseem were observed highest in the state of Rajasthan followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh (Fig. 8). Further the probability spreads to Telangana, parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka down south. Thus, certain reduction of crop probability in key growing states and spread of it to new areas was predicted using this model in the future. The growth period is varied among different berseem growing states with slight shift towards summer in Punjab compared to Madhya Pradesh. This shift in the crop growth changes the date of last cut for seed production in different regions. Similarly, the productivity of green fodder and seed production varied among different production places. This variation also results from the suitability of varieties grown and their potential. Varietal status in India Berseem breeding is actively pursued in India. Till date a total of 16 varieties have been released during last 41 years. The initial berseem varieties, Mescavi, a diploid variety and Pusa Giant, a tetraploid variety were released in 1975 from CCSHAU, Hissar and IARI, New Delhi respectively. The 16 berseem varieties were released by 5 institutes in the country of which one variety each was released by IARI, New Delhi and GBPUAT, Pantnagar during 1975 and 1993

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 9 respectively. The main berseem variety developing institutes are PAU, Ludhiana (6 varieties); JNKVV, Jabalpur (2 varieties); CCS HAU, Hisar (3 varieties) and IGFRI, Jhansi (3 varieties). The key mode of breeding method was selection either from elite lines or mutated lines. The lack of variation in germplasm and absence of wild populations restricted the genetic divergence in berseem leading to slow pace of varietal development. The minute size of flower and difficulty in emasculation and pollination, coupled with lack of variation discouraged breeders to take berseem breeding vigoursly. All the varieties released till date are of mescavi type with multicut nature. Recently a Fahli type, single cut line was developed by IGFRI and will be sent to the National trials soon. All the released varieties except two are of diploid in nature. Of the two tetraploid varieties only one (BB-3) is under seed chain. The varieties mescavi and wardan are suitable to grow in all berseem growing regions of India and among them wardan is the national check for releasing new varieties. Remaining varieties are released for specific zones and are most suitable for irrigated tracts of those regions only. The green fodder yield potential of released varieties ranged from 62 t/ha to 105 t/ha and dry fodder yield from 9 t/ha to 18.8 t/ha with seed yield potential from 0.3 t/ha to 0.78 t/ha. The new varieties released are being tested for disease and pest resistance as special characters. Based on the region of cultivation the maturity date varies. Some late varieties were released to supply green fodder up to June. The details of all the berseem varieties of India are given below to have a comprehensive information about varietal status (Table 1).

Berseem experimental trial

10 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India BERSEEM: IntricaciesofSeed Pr Table 1: Details of berseem varieties released in India

Sl. No Variety Year of Releasing Method of Pedigree Recommended Areas of GFY DMY Average Special release Centre breeding regions adoption Yield Yield yield characters potential potential (t/ha) (t /ha) (t/ha)

1 Mescavi 1975 CCS HAU Selection Introduction All Berseem Punjab, 70 12.5 62.5 Fast from Egypt growing Haryana, Delhi regrowth regions in and Himachal and wide India Pradesh, Uttar adaptability Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh oduction inIndia 2 Pusa Giant 1975 IARI Polyploidy Diploid All Berseem Punjab, 67.5 13.4 60 Auto breeding Variety, growing Haryana, tetraploid, C-10 regions in part of tolerant to India Himachal Pradesh, winter and Delhi, Uttar frost, bears Pradesh and winter Madhya Pradesh hardiness

3 BL 1 1978 PAU Selection Derived Punjab state Punjab state 84 15.5 65 Early from under irrigated under irrigation maturing cultivar conditions variety Mescavi

4 Wardan 1982 IGFRI Selection Accession All Berseem Haryana, Punjab, 72.6 13.9 65 Tolerant to No.526 growing Delhi, Uttar bacterial regions Pradesh, Bihar, wilt and in India Rajasthan, other Himachal Pradesh, diseases and Madhya Pradesh

5 JB 1 1982 JNKVV Single Strain Berseem Madhya Pradesh, 87 15.5 76 High re- plant received growing Chhattisgarh generation selection from areas in and part of potential

1 Chhindwara Madhya Bihar and 1 (M.P.) Pradesh Uttar Pradesh 12 Sl. No Variety Year of Releasing Method of Pedigree Recommended Areas of GFY DMY Average Special release Centre breeding regions adoption Yield Yield yield characters potential potential (t/ha) (t /ha) (t/ha)

6 BL 10 1985 PAU Selection Indigenous Sub temperate Punjab, Haryana, 105 18.8 - Resistant to material areas of the Delhi, Himachal stem rot North and Pradesh and caused by Central regions Jammu Sclerotinia under irrigated spp., Late conditions maturing variety

7 BL 22 1988 PAU Selection Derivative Sub temperate Punjab, Haryana 62 12.3 52 Late of the areas of the and Himachal maturing irradiated North and Pradesh variety population Central regions of cv. under irrigated Mescavi conditions

8 BL 2 1989 PAU Selection Indigenous Sub temperate Punjab, Haryana, 76.5 15.5 55 Tolerant to

BERSEEM: IntricaciesofSeed Pr material areas of the Himachal Pradesh, stem rot North and Delhi, Uttrakhand disease Central regions and western under irrigated Uttar Pradesh conditions

9 UPB 110 1993 GBPUAT Composite Composite Tropical humid North-west, 65 9 60 Composite selection of seven and sub humid south and central variety, Berseem regions India dark green lines broad (UPB-101, foliage, 102, 103, late type 105, 106, 107 & 109) oduction inIndia 10 BB 2 1997 IGFRI Modified Indigenous Central and Punjab, Haryana, 85 11 79 Resistant to Mass material Northwest Uttarakhand, part root rot; Selection No. zones of UP, MP and stem rot 25776-4-P6 Maharashtra under and to irrigated other major conditions pests. BERSEEM: IntricaciesofSeed Pr Sl. No Variety Year of Releasing Method of Pedigree Recommended Areas of GFY DMY Average Special release Centre breeding regions adoption Yield Yield yield characters potential potential (t/ha) (t /ha) (t/ha) 11 BB 3 2001 IGFRI Selection Parent Northeast Eastern U.P., 56 90 - Tetraploid, from the material zone Bihar, Jharkhand, Moderately Colchiploid JHB-83-3, West Bengal, resistant to progenies 1-90-P3- Orissa and stem rot followed by g-bl-hs-sb Assam states and root modified rot mass diseases selection and immune to downy mildew and oduction inIndia poor in seed setting 12 JB 5 2005 JNKVV Recurrent Colchicine Central MP, part of UP, 67.5 13 58 Resistant to selection treated zone Maharashtra, stem rot material Gujarat and disease, Chhattisgarh Suitable for the late cutting (up to 15th April) 13 HB 1 2006 CCS HAU Selection Germplasm Irrigated Northwestern 73.5 14.2 68 Slightly No.6 conditions of zone of the elongated (307011, Haryana state country and seed, 11-OP) plain hilly areas Resistant against stem rot and root rot diseases, late in maturity 14 BL 180 2006 PAU Selection Gamma Northwestern Punjab, Haryana, 62.5 9 55 Tolerant to rays (40 kR) and Hill zone Rajasthan, stem rot irradiated under irrigated Uttarakhand, and root rot population conditions Himachal Pradesh diseases, of cv. BL-10 and Jammu region late maturing, Photo insensitive 13 type 14 Sl. No Variety Year of Releasing Method of Pedigree Recommended Areas of GFY DMY Average Special release Centre breeding regions adoption Yield Yield yield characters potential potential (t/ha) (t /ha) (t/ha) 15 BL 42 2007 PAU Selection Gamma Whole of Punjab, Haryana, 75 12.2 70 Resistant to rays India Jammu and stem rot (40 kR ) Himachal caused by irradiated Pradesh Sclerotinia population spp., Late of cultivar maturing BL-2 variety

16 HB 2 2014 CCS HAU Selection Mutation Northwestern Punjab, Haryana 75 12.5 - Longer of Zone and Rajasthan duration, germplasm resistant to line stem rot disease

Source: Modified from Database of forage crop varieties (updated edition), 2015 BERSEEM: IntricaciesofSeed Pr oduction inIndia 5

Crop Improvement

The scarcity of genetic variability coupled with practical difficulties in emasculation and pollination due to flower type and self-incompatibility in most of the lines has made crop improvement difficult task in berseem. Selection of newly developed populations either through mutation or crossing is the common method employed in berseem breeding. Recurrent selection was made to improve the base populations in berseem and significant gain in green forage yield (21.7%), dry forge yield (23.8%) and protein yield (22.9%) was achieved through second cycle of recurrent selection (Bakheit, 1989). Drought tolerance was another trait of interest in berseem breeding. Several strides were made to incorporate this trait through cell culture (El-Tawab et al., 1997) and marker assisted selection (Fahmy et al., 1997). Selection for manual tripping (MT) was found effective in improving self- fertility in berseem lines (Abdalla and Zeinab, 2012). Most of the lines in Egypt were self-fertile (SF) in all populations and generations over original parents IGFRI Jhansi is having 594 berseem germplasm accessions. However, they are mostly crossing derived lines and/or imported ones. Since berseem is an introduced crop in India, wild genotypes are not available. This resulted in the narrow genetic variability among available germplasm lines. Earlier at IGFRI, Jhansi, interspecific crosses were tried between Trifolium alexandrinum (berseem) and other Trifolium species to enhance the genetic variability and to impart disease resistance in berseem. Successful F1 hybrids were made using embryo rescue technique between Trifolium alexandrinum (berseem) and T. apertum, T. constantinopolitanum and T. resupinatum. However, the field level success in the form of a variety from these interspecific crosses is still eluding. Polyploid induction is an effective tool to develop new varieties in many crops. In berseem, polyploidy breeding through colchicine treatment was instrumental in developing tetraploid varieties in several countries including Egypt and India. Autotetraploids have greater vegetative volume, greater adaptability to different ecosystems, bigger seed size and higher seed weight. However, often these tetraploids have lower reproductive fertility compared to their diploid counterparts. In India, the berseem varieties Pusa Giant and Bundel Berseem 3 were produced using polyploidy induction and at present Bundel Berseem 3 is one of the popular varieties. This tetraploid variety is competing to replace its diploid cousins in the area of adoption and acerage. Irradiation of plant material helps in creation of variability in the existing population and serves as a source for development of new varieties in often less genetic variable crops. In India due to lack of sufficient variation in the berseem germplasm to exploit and develop new varieties, irradiation is being used as a tool to create variation. This is very successful and at present several berseem varieties in India viz., BL-22, BL 180, BL-2, HB-2 etc. were developed using irradiation followed by selection.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 15 Trifoliate leaf is an important heritable trait not only in berseem but in Trifolium genus itself. However, multifoliate lines were reported by several workers. A multifoliate strain was developed in Egypt after crossing a mutant multifoliate single cut Fahli line with a multicut trifoliate mescavi line resulting into a multifoliate multicut line. This line outperformed the released varieties in green forage yield (Bakheit and El- Nehrawy, 1997). A pentafoliate line of Trifolium alexandrinum was registered by IGFRI as a novel genetic stock. Even though the yield studies are yet to be done, it shows the promising future for multifoliate lines in India also. The studies on self-fertility in India clearly indicated the existence of considerable genetic diversity for self-compatibility in the existing berseem populations (Roy et al., 2005). This variation need to be studied and tapped for creating variation and for the development of new varieties.

16 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 6

Crop Cultivation

The cultivation of berseem crop is possible only in the irrigated regions due to its water requirement. Berseem is easy to grow and helps in improving the soil fertility. At present it is being grown in millions of hectares around the world. Climatic requirements Berseem can be grown under varied conditions but the optimum conditions are 18-25° C and 300 mm annual rainfall uniformly distributed. It grows best below 650 m elevation under irrigated conditions. If the winter temperature falls to 6-8° C the crop growth is severely affected. Even though it can tolerate higher temperatures with irrigation (particularly under Indian conditions), the productivity gets reduced. It can tolerate shade and can be grown in orchards in hortipasture mode. It has the ability to tolerate frost also. Soil Berseem can be grown in a wide range of soils but performs best on well-drained clay loam soils. The heavy textured soils are considered to be better due to their good water retention capacity and congenial edaphic environment. Soils rich in calcium and phosphorus are ideally suited for its cultivation. Mild acidity can be tolerated by the crop. Water logging condition adversely affects crop growth. The levelling of field is very important for optimum use of irrigation water and to avoid water logging. Growth and development of the crop was found to be the best at 7 to 8 pH range. Crop season Berseem is cultivated during winter season i.e., rabi (November to May) because of its low temperature requirement under Indian conditions. However, in European countries and Afghanistan it was introduced as summer crop. Tillage Berseem requires a fine seedbed for germination and stand establishment as seeds are very small in size. One deep ploughing followed by 2-3 harrowing is essential to obtained fine seed bed. Seed rate To obtain uniform plant population particularly for seed production, 20-25 kg/ha seed is required. Optimum sowing depth is 3 to 4 cm. If the seed is sown with seed drill, 40 cm spacing between two rows is optimum. Seed treatment Berseem crop is very prone to soil borne diseases like fungal root rot complex and stem rot diseases. The severity of diseases may cause yield losses up to 70%. Therefore, chemical seed treatment with Carbendazim (2 g per kg of seed) or Captan (2 g per kg of seed) is effective in

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 17 minimizing the primary source of inoculum and primary infection. Seed treatment can be done using appropriate machinery or simple drum treater or traditionally, using earthen pots. After treatment dry the treated seeds in shade before sowing. Inoculation Berseem may not grow well in soils where it is being sown for the first time, because it requires association with Rhizobium trifoli, a soil bacterium for its proper growth. This bacterial culture (Fig. 9) can be obtained from local Agricultural Department or from the nearby ICAR institutes or state agriculture universities. Prepare one litre of 5% jaggery solution and mix 100 g of bacterial culture in it and sprinkle on 8-10 kg of berseem seed. Mix it thoroughly to have a uniform coating on all the seed. Shade dry the treated seed before using it for sowing. Sowing may be done preferably in the evening of the same day to avoid direct hot sun. Time of sowing In North India, mid-October is the best time for sowing. In Eastern India it may be sown in November. The onset of winter is to be considered as the best time for berseem seed sowing as optimum temperature for berseem Fig. 9: Rhizobium culture of IGFRI for sale germination is 20° C. Timely sowing helps in taking excess cuts for green fodder and extends the period of fodder availability. The early sowing is harmful in berseem as it leads to seedling mortality. Method of sowing/ seeding Berseem can be sown either by dry or wet method. Dry method: In dry method the berseem seed is sown in line by using seed drill followed by covering the seeds with plank (Fig. 10a) and later irrigation is provided. The use of seed drill is advantageous as line sowing helps in optimum seed placement resulting in uniform plant population. It also helps in easy inter-cultivation and recommended for seed production per se. Wet method: In this method, strips of 4-6m width are prepared. Each strip is flooded with 5-6 cm deep water (Fig. 10b). The overnight soaked and/or inoculated seeds are broadcasted in standing water. This helps in rapid germination and easy establishment of young seedlings.

18 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India Fig. 10: (a) line sowing by seed drill (b) broadcasting in wet method

Nutrient management To improve the soil health and fertility status 10 t/ha well decomposed farm yard manure should be applied in the field at the time of land preparation. For obtaining good yield and enhancing plant growth 20 kg N, 60 to 80 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per ha should be applied as basal dose at the time of sowing. Water management Tillering, head formation and seed filling are the three important critical stages for irrigation in berseem seed production. Initially after one week of sowing slight irrigation is required for proper establishment of seedlings. Later from October to February irrigation at 12-14 days' interval and from March to April at 8-10 days' interval is required in general conditions. After each cutting for good tiller development, irrigation should be given. Based on the studies at IGFRI, Jhansi optimum soil moisture regime for berseem is 75% available soil moisture in top 45 cm soil. The water use efficiency for berseem at IGFRI, Jhansi was worked out to be 22 kg dry matter/ha/mm. Weed management Berseem being a leguminous fodder, in its early stages growth is slow. This condition favours the growth of weeds particularly broad leaf weeds viz., Anagalis arvensis, Chenopodium album, Melilotus alba, Melilotus indica, Cichorium intybus, Coronopus didymus, Spergula arvensis Eclipta alba, Sonchus oleraceus, Sonchus asper, Medicago denticulate, Medicago auxalis, Trifolium resupinatum, Rumex dentatus, Physalis minima and grassy weeds viz., Poa annua and Phalaris minor. Weed infestation reduces 5-20% green fodder and 13-37% seed yield. In berseem crop, Chicory (Cichorium intybus), locally known as Kasni, is an objectionable weed as it is very difficult to separate it through normal grading process. The zero tolerance to this weed in breeder seed production is required. The best method is to sow the seed without any Chicory seed. Apart from seed it will be transmitted through irrigation sources also. Manual removal of Chicory from the crop is the best solution. The weed can be easily identified based on its leaf shape and flower colour.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 19 Harvesting For green fodder normally the first cutting should be taken 50-55 days after sowing. Subsequent cuttings can be taken at 25-30 day interval. In general, after three cuttings, the crop is left for seed production. The date of last cut is important for seed production and it varies from region to region. The last cut is generally taken in the first week of March in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Whereas, in Punjab and Haryana it is in the end of March or first week of April. Yield Berseem being a multi-cut nature crop, its fodder production ability is very high. A well- managed berseem crop can give 45-50 t/ha green fodder in three cuttings before leaving the crop for seed production. The average seed yield is 0.3 - 0.4 t/ ha. Economics of berseem seed production The studies conducted by IGFRI at farmer level in different villages of Jhansi clearly showed the profitability of berseem seed production. The green fodder was harvested three times before leaving the crop for seed production. The average benefit cost ratio at farm was found as 1.85. The benefit cost ratio calculated on variable cost basis was found as 2.32. This BC ratio includes both the green fodder and seed as marketable commodities. Thus, if the farmers are able to sell the green fodder initially and subsequently the seed they will be benefitted much more than the regular food crops.

Fig. 11: Berseem in vegetative stage Fig. 12: Berseem in flowering stage

20 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 7

Crop Protection

Berseem seed yield is influenced by several biotic factors such as diseases and pests, which play an important role in berseem ecosystem (Fig. 13 & 16) and may lead to reduced fodder and seed production. During the last five decades IGFRI has evolved many technologies for maximization of fodder as well as seed production in berseem. Growing a healthy crop and protecting it from diseases and pests is an integral part of these technologies. In this context, prominent diseases and insects, their nature of occurrence and management strategies are briefly discussed. Among the diseases, root rot complex and stem rot are major limiting factors for seed production.

Rhizoctonia solani Sclerotinia trioliorum

Tylenchorhyncus vulgaris Myrothecium spp.

Fusarium semitectum DISEASES Alternaria spp.

Fig. 13: Important diseases observed in berseem ecosystem

Root rot complex This disease is caused by interaction of fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium semitactum and nematode (Tylenchorhynchus vulgaris). Nature of occurrence and impact: This disease is common in gangetic and central plains and severe during February-March. It appears usually after the second cut. Once the disease is established in the field, it becomes a permanent source of infection as the pathogen perpetuates in the soil through their resting structures. High humidity, high soil moisture and dense crop canopy favours the disease spread and severity. The disease incidence ranges from 0-60% under field conditions (Pandey et al., 1995).

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 21 Symptoms: Initially light brown necrotic spots appear on the roots, 5 cm below the soil surface and later these spots coalesce to form rot (Fig.14). Field symptoms are represented by bare patches of stunted and blighted plants. The fungus, Rhizoctonia solani produces plenty of white mass of hyphae on rotten portion, which forms dark brown coloured sclerotial bodies in later stages. Severe mortality is recorded during February-March. Management : Maintenance of proper drainage in standing crop field will cut off favorable Fig. 14: Field symptoms of berseem root conditions required for the pathogens. Seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2.5g/kg or Thiophenate-M @ 2 g/kg of seed reduces the initial infection from the seed and soil borne fungi. Application of Neem cake @ 0.5 t/ha before sowing of crop or spraying of Carbendazim @ 250 g/ha or Thiophenate-M @ 500 g/ha or Propineb 1250 g/ha after appearance of disease in field subsides it to a great extent. Subsequent spraying can be continued based on disease severity and spread at 8-10 day interval. Stem rot It is caused by white mold fungus Sclerotinia trifoliorum Nature of occurrence and impact: The incidence of the disease is visible during January and February when temperature is low especially in gangetic and northern parts of the country. Black coloured sclerotia are formed in the mycelium that helps to perpetuate from one season to another making the disease soil borne. Primary infection occurs through sclerotia mixed with the seed or soil. The sclerotia germinate and produce fruiting structures called apothecia which liberates infective ascospores. Ascospores through irrigation water or wind reaches the stem and causes infection. In few incidences infection causes pepper spotting on the leaves followed by a quiescent stage for a few weeks. Later in aggressive phase destroys the foliage that is largely controlled by the environmental factors. Up to 70% losses were recorded from this disease (Pandey et al., 1995). Symptoms : Symptoms include water-soaked lesions just 5 cm above the ground and rapidly progress along and around the stem above and below infected nodes. Infected stems become bleached and stringy. Severe infection weakens the plant and results in wilting, lodging, and death. Sclerotinia stem rot often occurs in patches in the field. Fig. 15: Field symptoms of stem rot

22 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India In addition, signs of the fungus that can assist in diagnosis include white moldy growth (cottony mycelia) and sclerotia on infected plant tissues (Fig. 15). Management: Practice of summer ploughing to expose the resting structures (sclerotia) in the soil reduces the disease load. Seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2.5 g/ kg and line sowing for maintaining optimum plant population in the field prevents the disease occurrence. Spraying of Carbendazim @ 1 g/litre or Chlorothalonil @ 2g/litre after disease appearance helps in minimizing the loss (Bhaskar et al., 2003) The other minor diseases that occur in this crop are, leaf spots of Alternaria, Myrothecium and Epicoccum spp. Pod borer The common pod borer Helicoverpa armigera also damages the berseem head at maturity. Nature of occurrence and impact : Pod borer is a serious polyphagous sporadic pest in berseem seed production fields. Most common in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. H.armigera alone can reduce yield of seed crop of berseem by 80-90%. Insect identification and crop damage : The full-grown larva is stout bodied with usually greenish or brownish colour, measuring about 4 cm in length with longitudinal bands. The female adult lays 200-1500 eggs singly on tender leaves, which hatch in about 2-4 days in April to October. The larval period is 13-19 days and larvae pupate in the soil. There may be as many as eight generations in a year. This insect targets flower-buds and developing seed in flower heads of berseem. The larvae feed mostly on apical portion of the inflorescence and destroy it partially or wholly (Pandey et al., 1995). Management : Use of insecticides such as Cypermethrin @ 200 ml/ha or Spinosad @ 150 ml/ ha after last cut, if larval population is more than economic threshold level (ETL) controls the infestation. The other insects associated with berseem crop are Hairy caterpillar (Euproctis spp.), Semilooper (Pulsia spp.), Pumpkin beetle (Rhaphidopala sp.), Aphid (Aphis craccivora), Dusky bug (Oxycarenus sp.) and leaf miner (Phytomyza sp.). Cuscuta Cuscuta (dodder), a stem parasite also known as Akashbel or Amarbel locally, belonging to the family Cuscutaceae poses a serious problem in oilseeds, pulses and fodder crops (lucerne (Medicago sativa), berseem (Trifolium spp.) in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Orissa, West Bengal and parts of Madhya Pradesh under rainfed as well as in irrigated conditions (Mishra, 2009). The most common species of Cuscuta in India are Cuscuta campestris and C. reflexa. The infestation of Cuscuta results in heavy loss in terms of quantity and quality of produce and many a times it may cause complete failure of the crop. Legislation in 25 countries lists dodder as "declared noxious weed" with seeds and plant material and are denied entrance. The seeds of Cuscuta have a hard seed coat and remain viable in soil for many years and are able to germinate throughout the year.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 23 Management: Integrated control strategies involving preventive, cultural and herbicidal methods can provide an acceptable degree of Cuscuta control. 1. Periodic rouging, drying and burning of cuscuta plant before it produces flowers/seeds is necessary for its effective control. 2. Application of pre emergence herbicides such as Prodiamine 0.6 kg/ha or Pendimethalin 0.6 kg/ha. If the infestation is in patches, it can be easily controlled by spraying non-selective herbicides such as glyphosate and paraquat at lower doses (0.075-0.150 kg/ha). 3. Care should be taken to avoid contamination of berseem seeds with Cuscuta seeds.

Helicoverpa armigera Aphis craccivora (Pod borer) (Aphids)

Euproctis spp. Rhaphidopala sp. (Hairy catcrpillars) (Pumpkin bcctlcs)

Plusia spp. Oxycaraenus sp. (Semiloopers) (Dusky bugs) Insects (Foliage and Plant sap feeders)

Fig. 16: Important insects observed in berseem ecosystem

24 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 8

Seed Quality Maintenance

In India the seed used for sale should contain label compulsorily, whereas the certification is voluntary. The standards are same for both truthfully labelled seed and certified seed. However, the standards are bit higher in other classes viz., foundation and breeder seed. Apart from seed standards, the field standards are also important to maintain the seed quality. The field and seed standards for berseem crop are as below, Field standards: By maintaining the field standards the quality of the produce can be ensured in the field itself and this acts as a prophylactic measure to avoid contaminants well before crop is harvested. The isolation distance helps in maintaining the genetic purity by avoiding cross pollination from other varieties. As berseem is a entomophilous crop, long isolation distances are required to maintain genetic purity standards. The stringency of standards is more in Foundation class compared to certified class based on their generations and quantities produced. The field standards are ensured by conducting field inspections. In berseem, at least two field inspections should be made from flowering to harvest to ascertain the field standards in the standing crop and to maintain the seed quality. Vigorous roguing during vegetative, flowering and maturity stages should be taken up to ensure the field standards in all classes of seeds. Seed Class Isolation distance (m) Maximum permitted (%) Fields of Fields of same Off Types Objectionable other variety not weed varieties conforming to plants* varietal purity Foundation 400 400 0.2 None Certified 100 100 0.1 0.05 *Objectionable weed is Cichorium intybus (Chicory, Kasni)

The field standards of breeder seed should be such that the next generation meets the foundation seed standards. The breeder seed production plots should be completely free from the objectionable weed Chicory (Fig.17) Seed standards: The seed standards are the most important criteria to decide the quality of a seed lot and to ensure whether the produced material is suitable for sowing or not. Among the seed standards, germination percentage is of utmost Fig.17: Chicory (blue flowers) infested seed important as it not only checks the viability of production field of berseem

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 25 the seed lot but also crucial for ensuring optimum plant population in the field and to get the expected yield. Seed moisture is another important parameter as seed produced needs to be stored for at least one season without losing its viability. The physical purity not only ensures the physical quality but also helps in reducing the weed population in the crop field. Similar to field standards the seed standards are stringent for foundation class than certified class particularly with respect to weed and other crop seeds, to maintain the purity of the next generation. Factor Standards for each class Foundation Certified Pure seed (minimum) 98.0% 98.0% Inert matter (maximum) 2.0% 2.0% Other crop seeds (maximum) 10/kg 20/kg Total weed seeds (maximum) 10/kg 20/kg *Objectionable weed seeds (maximum) 5/kg 10/kg Germination including hard seeds (minimum) 80% 80% Moisture (maximum) 10.0% 10.0% For vapour-proof containers (maximum) 7.0% 7.0% *Objectionable weed is Cichorium intybus (Chicory, Kasni)

The seed standards of breeder seed should be such that the next generation meets the foundation seed standards. Genetic purity The true to type of a variety also known as Seed class Genetic purity genetic purity is essential to realize the yield Breeder Seed 100% potential of a given variety. The genetic purity of Breeder seed is highest and is maintained by the Foundation Seed 99% ear to row method of nucleus seed production. Certified Seed 98% Seed processing Berseem seed processing contains mainly three machines viz., cleaner, grader and specific gravity separator. The first two machines are similar for all crops but the third one is specifically required for berseem seed processing. First the air screen cleaner removes the inert matter viz., mud stones, plant parts and other smaller waste materials. After cleaning based on the size, grading will be done in the seed grader where through upper sieve the large impurities will be separated and through lower sieve smaller ones. The seed passed through upper sieve and above the lower sieve will be collected as graded seed. Even after cleaning and grading, the seed of objectionable weed, chicory still remains. To remove the chicory seed from berseem, specific gravity separator (Fig.18a) is to be used. The specific gravity separator separates both the seeds based on their density. Practically around 20-

26 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 30% chicory seeds contain almost same density as berseem. Hence, to remove the chicory seeds completely the seed needs to be processed twice or thrice on specific gravity separator. A new machine viz., Belt draper (Fig.18b) was developed by the IGFRI in collaboration with Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering to remove the chicory seeds up to 90%. But the efficiency of the machine is low due the mode of separation which is based on seed surface and shape. The combination of specific gravity separator followed by belt draper will help in achieving higher purity. Another highly sophisticated machinery viz., colour sorter is also useful in separating the chicory seed as the seed colour of chicory is white and clearly distinguishable from yellow colour berseem seed. Apart from these sophisticated machinery, a crude method at farmer level to separate the chicory seeds is the use of salt water. The saturated salt solution is able to separate most of the chicory seeds. Chicory seeds being light in weight will float in the salt water. The separated berseem seeds are to be washed in running water and shade dried before sowing. Even though it is a simple and effective method, complete separation of chicory seeds is not possible.

Fig.18: (a) Specific gravity separator (b) Belt draper for separating chicory seed from berseem

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 27 9

Seed Status in India

The statistics of actual area, production and productivity of fodder crops is not available at the national and international level. Thus, weakening fodder crops share in the budget allocation. The total quantity of fodder seed production in the country is not available. However, based on the estimated area, seed rate, average seed yield and seed multiplication ratio the requirement of breeder seed was estimated (Table 2).

Table 2: Estimated berseem breeder seed requirement in India Crop Area Seed rate Seed yield Seed Breeder (mha) (kg/ha) (kg/ha) Multiplication seed (t) Ratio Berseem 2 20 200 10 400

Based on the available information India requires 400 tonnes of breeder seed provided, the seed chain consisting of foundation and certified seed is followed properly. The gaps in the generation system may further enhance this requirement. Breeder seed status The information on total breeder seed of berseem indented and produced during last decade (Fig. 19) clearly shows that production is more than indent barring few years. The production was s l 120 a t n

i 100 u q 80 n i

t 60 i t

n 40 a u

Q 20 0

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year

BS Indent BS Production

Fig.19: Berseem breeder seed indent and production in the last decade (2007-2016)

28 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India highest in 2009 followed by 2012 in the last decade (2007-2016). The indent was highest in 2012 followed by 2013. The graph (Fig. 19) clearly depicts the fluctuation in the breeder seed indent with sudden drop in 2010 and 2014. The lack of uniform indent is one of the major bottle necks in the forage seed production per se. Even though there is no drastic change in the total area under berseem, the fluctuation in the breeder seed indent is difficult to explain. However, this indicates that there was no correlation between breeder seed indent and total area under berseem crop.

180 160 s

l 140 a t n

i 120 u q 100 n i

t 80 i t

n 60 a u

Q 40 20 0 i t 1 n 1 0 2 2 0 2 3 5 1 0 2 2 v an L a 1 2 L 1 - 8 4 - ca i B rd JB L L B 1 B B JB B 1 L B es G a B B PB B B H L B H M sa W U B Pu Berseem varieties as per their release date BS Indent BS Production

Fig. 20: Variety wise cumulative breeder seed indent and production during last decade (2007-2016)

25 s l a

t 20 n i u q

15 n i

y t

i 10 t n a

u 5 Q 0

-5 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year JB 1 BL 10 BB 3 Linear (JB 1) Linear (BB 10) Linear (BB 3)

Fig. 21: Breeder seed indent of top three varieties during last decade

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 29 The variety wise indent and production (Fig. 20) shows that out of 16 varieties majority have either higher or equal production compared to indent. In the last decade, the cumulative production of JB 1 variety is far higher than any other variety. The cumulative indent was highest in JB 1 and BL 10 varieties followed by BB 3. However, the year wise indent shows that there is a decreasing trend in the indent of BB 3 and JB 1, with much sharper decline in the indent of JB 1.Whereas, BL 10 is showing an increasing trend in the breeder seed indent in the last decade (Fig. 21). This clearly shows that changing of varietal scenario and may be due to increased area in Punjab and Haryana compared to MP and UP. The breeder seed is being produced by mainly four institutes whose varieties are in active seed chain. The contribution by these institutes in the berseem breeder seed production also depicts the demand and crop area in their region as most of the varieties are zonal specific. Of the four institutes, the demand for the PAU varieties is increasing followed by JNKVV and IGFRI (Fig. 20). The percent share of PAU is highest towards breeder seed production whereas JNKVV and IGFRI have almost on par contribution to the total breeder seed produced during the last decade. The contribution of CCS HAU is gradually diminishing. The more number and continuous release of varieties from PAU compared to other Institutes coupled with increased area and popularity of varieties may be the reason for the increasing percent share of PAU varieties in the total breeder seed production. Estimated berseem seed demand and production: As per the present seed yield (0.2 t/ha) the seed multiplication ratio (SMR) comes to 10. Based on SMR 10, a total quantity of 400 t breeder seed and 4000 t foundation seed are required to sow the total area with quality certified seed. However, by using the latest technological innovations (discussed separately) the average yield can be reached up to 0.4 t/ha. This will reduce the requirement of total breeder seed by four times to 100 t. Even then there is a large gap between the actual requirement and production. By applying the SMR of 20 we can achieve up to 6.4% of the total foundation and certified seed requirements. As discussed earlier, the berseem breeder seed indent is not representing the actual requirement. The unorganized seed production and market is not coming into picture there by projecting huge gap between production and requirement. As per a recent survey conducted by IGFRI Seed Technology division in the nearby famous berseem seed mandi at Dabra, MP, it was found that large quantities of berseem seed to the tune of 300-400 t is available with the wholesalers and retailers. Such mandis are there in several berseem producing states. This entire seed is not being counted in the production as it is neither certified nor sold through any organized private sector. The seed directly sold by the farmers to wholesalers, is available in the market for sowing purpose without any specific brand name. Thus, the unorganized sector which is playing a major role in berseem seed availability is not coming into the picture of seed production and availability.

30 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 90.00 80.00

n 70.00 i n

o e i r t a c 60.00 h u s d

t o 50.00 r n e p

c r S 40.00 e B P 30.00 20.00 10.00 0.00 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year IGFRI PAU CCS HAU JNKVV

Fig. 22: Percent share of Institutes in National breeder seed production Table 3: Estimated berseem seed requirement and possible production in India Seed class Requirement (t) Requirement (t) Production as per present based on achievable (mean of last seed yield seed yield decade) (t) (0.2 t/ha) (0.4 t/ha) Breeder Seed 400 100 6.42 Foundation seed 4000 2000 128.4 Certified seed 40000 40000 2568

Berseem seed import The gap in production and demand is being fulfilled by the import of berseem seed from abroad. The import statistics for the last twenty years show that from 2002-03 onwards the import of berseem seed started growing (Fig. 23) and a sharp increase in import was noticed from 2007-08 and maximum quantity (13524 t) of seed was imported in 2012-13 followed by a sharp decline in 2013-14 (5111 t). At present 10,375 MT of berseem was imported in 2015-16. Thus, of the total requirement of 40000 t of certified seed, 2500 t is being realized from organized seed production through seed chain, 10000 t is being imported and the remaining 27000 t of seed required is being made available from unorganized sector. Thus, the major contributor is unorganized sector of which no formal information is available. Even the assumed 2568 MT of certified seed from the breeder seed is possible only if proper seed chain is followed. These assumptions can be verified only if we have reliable information about the area and production of the berseem crop. Since fodder crops are not part of crop surveys and agricultural statistics the information is lacking at national level. Further to confirm the seed availability from unorganized sector a comprehensive market survey is required.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 31 16000 14000 12000 )

T 10000 M (

y 8000 t i t n

a 6000 u q

r 4000 o p

m 2000 I 0 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 -9 -9 -9 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2000 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 -4000 Year of import

Fig. 23: Berseem seed import during last two decades (1996-97 to 2015-16)

The import statistics show that berseem seed alone is having 0.03-0.04% share of total imports into India which turns to be around 20 million US dollars (Fig. 24). Among the forage crops berseem seed import is highest. To reduce the loss to exchequer in the form of foreign exchange, there is a need to reduce the seed import from abroad. The suitable technological and appropriate action points discussed in this booklet will help in achieving the target to some extent if followed by all the stakeholders simultaneously.

25 0.0045 0.004 20 0.0035 D 0.003 e S g

15 a U t 0.0025 n n e o i c l

0.002 r l i 10 e P M 0.0015 5 0.001 0.0005 0 0 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 -9 -9 -9 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Year of import Amount (USD) Millions % Share in total imports

Fig. 24: Imported berseem seed value in terms of amount and percent share of total imports

32 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 10

IGFRI Foot Print in Berseem Seed Realm

Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi is one of the premier fodder research institutes in South Asia. During last 54 years it has contributed a lot to the forage science. Apart from research and extension, the Institute is mandated to produce breeder seed of fodder varieties developed by it. Apart from breeder seed, the Institute is also producing truthfully labelled seed to the possible extent to cater the needs of farming community. In berseem crop three major varieties have been developed from IGFRI. The present national check, Wardan was developed from IGFRI only. Later two more varieties viz., Bundel Berseem 2 and 3 were developed by this Institute. Seed Production and supply During last seven years IGFRI, Jhansi has produced ~10 tonnes of breeder seed and ~6.9 tonnes of truthfully labelled seed of berseem and sold approx. six tonnes each of seed during this period (Fig. 25). More than 30% of the breeder/nucleus seed was used for sowing purpose. Remaining seed was supplied to various agencies viz., National Seeds Corporation, National Dairy Development Board, Seed Association of India, State Animal Husbandry Departments and to some milk cooperatives for further multiplication as per indents and small quantity was used as carry over seed for next season to mitigate production fluctuations. The TL seed produced was supplied to different agencies, farmer groups and individual farmers mostly for fodder purpose. IGFRI, being a national Institute, supplies seed throughout the country. During last seven years, it supplied berseem seed to 15 States in the country. The breeder seed was supplied to 8 states and truthfully labelled seed was supplied to 14 states (Fig. 26). In 7 states both breeder and TL seed were supplied in last seven years and in the remaining 8 states either breeder or TL seed was supplied.

12 s

e 10 n n o

t 8

n i 6 y t i t

n 4 a u 2 Q 0 Seed Production Seed Sale

Cumulative of last seven years

Breeder seed TL seed

Fig. 25: Berseem seed production and sale from IGFRI during last seven years (2009-2015)

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 33 Fig. 26: Spread of IGFRI berseem seed in India

Breeder seed supplied: Of the total breeder seed (BS) supplied by IGFRI in last seven years, the maximum quantity is of BB-3 variety. It occupies 54% share of total BS supplied followed by Wardan with 41% share (Fig. 27a). Ninety-one percent of the cumulative breeder seed was supplied to government agencies and remaining 9% to private sector comprising milk cooperatives, farmers' unions etc. (Fig. 27b). Truthfully labelled seed supplied: IGFRI has produced almost equal quantity of TL seed apart from mandated breeder seed. The TL Seed of wardan was produced to the maximum extent (43%) followed by BB-2 and BB-3 (Fig. 28a). The highest quantity of TL seed was supplied to government agencies (71%) followed by private (milk cooperatives, farmer unions etc.) agencies and farmers (Fig. 28b)

34 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 41% 91% 54%

Wardan BB-2 BB-3 Private Government Fig. 27: (a) Variety wise (b) Agency wise berseem breeder seed supplied by IGFRI in last seven years

10% 22% 19% 43%

35% 71%

Wardan BB-2 BB-3 Farmer Government Private

Fig. 28: (a) Variety wise (b) Agency wise berseem TL seed supplied by IGFRI in last seven years

Participatory seed production IGFRI has advocated berseem seed production to farmers and made them entrepreneurs of seed business through participatory mode. Participatory seed production is a system where quality seeds and all the technical support are provided to the seed producers by organized institutes. Competent personals regularly visit and monitor the seed production fields and the seed harvest is bought back by the institute. The seed lots are processed, packed and marketed in the name of the institute. In this case, the institute and not the seed growers will guarantee the seed quality. In an alternate option, the seed growers sold the seed directly to the buyers on their own after proper cleaning. But in that case the seed quality will be ensured by the seed growers themselves. IGFRI has taken up the second one and several success stories of participatory seed production including production of berseem in guava orchard in Richore village of Jhansi, Entrepreneurial development through berseem seed production in 6 villages of Jhansi etc. were documented (Kumar et al., 2013). At present, the Institute is concentrating on initiation of seed production through buy back system particularly in berseem crop. In the starting of present season (Rabi 2016-17) an awareness workshop was conducted for more than 80 farmers from 24 nearby

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 35 villages. Following the response from the farmers this year berseem seed production in 10 acres was initiated on participatory buy back mode. The farmers are highly satisfied with the quality of seed they received and the initial income they realized by selling the green fodder till date (Fig. 29).

Fig. 29: Sri Vijay Singh of Baheta village, Jhansi, U.P. in berseem seed production plot

36 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 11

Problems and Prospects of Seed Production

In India berseem is generally grown for green fodder by taking 3-4 cuttings up to the end of February and then the crop is left for seed production. However, seed production depends on many factors starting from soil and climatic factors to time of harvest as well as various social factors. Influence of weather on seed production For the purpose of seed production in berseem the last cut is generally taken on or before last week of February to let it mature in third week of April. Moderately cool climate (but not below 20° C) is good for its growth. Many experiments conducted worldwide suggest that environment has a marked effect on berseem fodder and seed productivity. An experiment conducted at IGFRI (Vijay et al., 2015) revealed that, there was a marginal reduction in number of flowers per head significant reduction in seed set (Fig. 30a) due to continuous rain during flowering period. This resulted in drastic reduction of seed yield (Fig. 30b). Berseem being an entomophilous crop with honey bee as the major pollinator, the pollination was severely affected due to rain coupled with low temperature and less sunshine hours which hampers the bee visit particularly during the flowering period. Further, continuous rain during flowering period may washout the pollen and thus reducing the availability of pollen per se. Thus, these findings showed that weather conditions particularly rainfall during flowering season plays a pivotal role in seed yield in insect pollinated crops like berseem.

e 100 1000 g a ) t a n h

e 800 80 / c g r k e (

60 d 600 l g e n i i y t

t e 40 d 400 s e

e d S e

e 20 200 S

0 0 Wardan JHB-146 BB-3 Wardan JHB-146 BB-3 Varieties Berseem variety Seed yield (kg/ha) Normal condition Normal condition Rainy condition Seed yield (kg/ha) Rainy condition Fig. 30: Effect of continuous rain on (a) Seed setting (b) seed yield in three berseem varieties Analysis of problems in berseem seed production Seed production in berseem is not only complicated but a tedious job for seed producers. The transition phase between warm humid season and cold dry season is the crucial period for

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 37 deciding the exact date of sowing. If it is early, then germinated seeds face harsh field conditions and seedling mortality occurs and if the sowing is delayed then green fodder yield and seed yield are reduced. Another major drawback in berseem seed production is the non-willingness of farmers to take up seed production as they are incited by its luxurious growth and milk enhancing capacity and continues to harvest green fodder. Different weeds dominantly found in berseem field poses another threat to its fodder and seed quantity and quality. Particularly the chicory plant which is an objectionable weed is not allowed in berseem seed production plot as per seed certification norms. The chicory infested seed lots fetches lower market price. Marketing of green fodder and seed is another stumbling block for all the fodder crops. Even though there is severe shortage of green fodder, lack of organized marketing channels and storage hampers berseem seed production in large tracts under contract seed farming. However, the profitability due to high BC ratio in this crop attracts the farmers to take up seed production provided they are educated properly. The heavy demand for berseem seed, as discussed earlier, is the driving force for implementation of seed production particularly through participatory mode. By keeping in view of all the positive and negative implications in seed production the SWOT analysis was done for berseem seed production as below. Strengths lThe large gap between demand and supply of green fodder provides scope for annual high yielding fodder crops like berseem particularly in the peri-urban regions. lBerseem is a multi-cut crop with fast growing nature. It gives ample green fodder yield prior to seed production. lBerseem being a milk enhancing fodder, there is lot of demand for its fodder and seed in India. lIt can withstand wide range of soils and is well adapted to the Northern Indian conditions. lBerseem breeding program is active in India leading to release of high yielding varieties. lBerseem seed production is absolutely a profitable entrepreneurship which is still an unexplored area. lBerseem being a legume, enhances the soil nitrogen level and improves soil health by reducing the requirement of external nitrogen inputs. lBerseem is an entomophilous crop and hence can give an extra income to the growers in the form of honey from installed or natural beehives. lIdentification of berseem as a phytoremediation crop for heavy metals enhances its scope of utility. lFeasability of mechanization particularly during sowing and harvesting, for large scale production. lAvailability of a well-organized research and extension system in forage crops through AICRP on FCU centers in different states, KVKs and Animal Husbandry farms.

38 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India Weaknesses lBerseem occupies the field from November to April excluding any chance of paira or catch crop in the same field. lSeed production mandatorily needs pollinators whose availability further depends on environmental factors thus success in berseem seed production is clearly a function of prevailing weather condition. lAny abruption in climatic variables during flowering or pollination leads to poor seed set resulting in scanty seeds in producers' hand. lBerseem field is very susceptible to weed infestation. Particularly chicory which is an objectionable weed in berseem and needs to be removed completely. lSeed processing of berseem infested with chicory seed requires special machines like specific gravity separator or belt draper. lLow seed multiplication ratio requires large areas under seed production. lLack of proper marketing for huge quantities of green fodder produced before actual seed production hampers large scale contract farming. lPerishability and quick loss of fresh weight of its green fodder requires immediate disposal. lLack of proper seed chain resulting in low seed multiplication. lLack of active involvement by both public and private seed production firms due to absence of organized marketing channels. lAbsence of subsidy and other policy interventions for encouraging forage seed producers is presently absent. lSuitability of berseem only to irrigated tracts due to heavy water requirement. lPresence of unorganized production and marketing channels lStatic area under fodder crops and severe competition from food crops lLack of reliable and consistent data on area, seed production etc. in berseem and other fodder crops lInvolvement of only four institutes in national breeder seed production programme. lAbsence of proper mechanism to channelize the demand into breeder seed indent for strengthening formal seed production and multiplication system.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 39 Opportunities lBerseem is a highly demanded crop in northern, central and eastern India wherever it deems fit. lIndia is having the largest area under berseem cultivation in the world. lPenetrance of berseem to small farm holder and they are growing it for cut and carry system lHuge quantities of berseem seed is being imported into India every year thus, there is a lot of scope for developing an indigenous berseem seed industry. lAbsence of major competitive seed players with own production chain. lRecently single cut berseem varieties are coming in the picture, which will in turn reduce the crop duration and will fit a short duration crop as extra benefit. lIf the benefit cost ratio is considered, berseem seed production can provide more benefits than wheat or rice. lGrowing importance for fodder crops in the National arena lA highly integrated network of milk cooperatives through NDDB is an opportunity to explore the market for fodder produced during seed production. lIncreasing consumption and demand for milk and meat products in the country and upcoming peri-urban dairies are great opportunities for fodder market in near future. lEmphasis on climate change and mitigation strategies provides vast opportunities for green fodder production and utilization. lIncreasing interest of farmers in participatory seed production system. lOpportunity to develop forage seed villages with target of self-sufficiency at village level. Threats lThe berseem seed market is presently dominated by informal seed system where the source, genuineness and quality of seed lots are not ascertained. lAbsence of seed and crop statistics hampers the policy planning for fodder crops in general and berseem in specific. lLack of technological knowledge penetration to small holders who are key stakeholders lAvailability of poor quality seed in the market due unorganized production and supply system. lClimate change and weather aberrations severely effect berseem seed production per se. lIndiscriminate usage of pesticides effects the natural bee populations there by effect the pollination and seed setting in berseem lRapid urbanization and decreasing cultivable area will have more impact on fodder crops because of their secondary priority compared to food crops. lCompetition at global level and market prices at international arena plays a key role in import of fodder seed.

40 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 12

Technological Interventions for Seed Enhancement

The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute is striding a lot to innovate new technologies for the direct benefit of the farmer. In that line, the following technologies were developed for the enhancement of seed production and productivity in berseem crop. Technology: Harvesting at physiological maturity Need: The productivity of berseem is low under Indian conditions. Field loss due to inflorescence shattering/shedding at maturity was identified as one of the main reasons for low productivity in berseem. Description: Seed reaches maximum viability at the physiological maturity stage but due to high moisture content, physiologically mature seed is not suitable for further storage. Natural drying on the plant itself enhances the desiccation tolerance in seed and by the time of harvesting maturity the seed moisture content gets reduced and will be suitable for storage. The studies conducted on berseem has resulted in identification of proper physiologically mature stage at which shattering can be minimized. The problem of high moisture in seed can be rectified by leaving the harvested crop in the field itself for drying without any further loss to seed. The morphological indicator was identified as colour change in the heads from green to brown with green stalks. The plants can be harvested at physiological maturity stage by using this indicator. During harvesting, the intertwined crop should be rolled over into a heap as shown in the figure 31. Following this management practice, the productivity was enhanced up to 50% with yield reaching up to 6 q per ha. The Fig. 31: Berseem crop harvested and rolled at physiological maturity quality of the harvested seed was estimated using standard germination test in the lab. The germination was more than 90% which indicates no compromise in the quality of the seed by using this methodology. Advantages: Filed loss of seed was reduced drastically. Without any additional cost the productivity was doubled. Reduction of volunteer plants in the next season was achieved Technology: Cutting Management (date of last cut) Need: To optimize the harvesting time for having higher seed yields Description : Among several factors the date of last cut for green fodder and sowing time are key factors affecting the seed yield. The growth phases viz., vegetative, flowering and seed setting periods depends up on the date of last cut for green fodder as it affects the overall time available for the plant growth and reproduction. Excessive or poor vegetative growth after leaving the crop

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 41 for seed setting adversely affects the seed yield. Further, the date of last cut is region specific and should be in correlation with prevailing weather parameters. The date of last cut in the last week of February (Fig. 32) under Jhansi conditions (UP and MP) will have highest seed yield with greater 100 seed weight and with more number of seeds per head (Yadav et al., 2015). Whereas the date of last cut during March ending or April first week is ideal for Punjab and Haryana Fig. 32: Differential last cut in berseem region. Advantages: Increased seed yield and reduced lodging which helps in easy harvesting and also reduces field losses due to seed shattering. Technology: Seed enhancement through coating in berseem Need: Berseem seeds are very small and often fail to produce healthy crop stand in harsh field condition. Therefore, to combat the biotic and abiotic stresses, it needs an initial boosting of seedling vigour to cope up with the unpredicted conditions in field. Description: Seed coating was envisaged in order to boost initial seedling vigour (Fig. 33a & 33b). A combination of polymer, nutrient mixture, plant growth regulator (PGR) and insecticides in varying concentration was tested in seed coating of the variety Wardan and BB 3. Seed coating polymer from Incotec private Ltd. was taken as base for coating to hold the plant protectant chemicals at near vicinity of seed and to act as harbour for nutrient mixture (N, P, K, Fe, Mg, Zn,

Mn, B, Cu, Mo and Co) and PGR (GA3). Seeds were tested for germination and seed vigour traits as per standard methods of International Seed Testing Association. Advantages : Seed coating provides enhanced seed vigour and improves targeted delivery of desired supplements at sowing for initial boosting up of the growing seedlings. It reduces the dusting off of the costly chemicals hence reduces health hazards.

Uncoated Coated Control Polymer (P) GR+R+F+N P+GR+R+F+N

Fig. 33: (a) Uncoated and coated berseem seeds Fig. 33: (b) Effect of coating on seed vigour

42 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India Technology: Weed management in seed production plot Need : In berseem, Cichorium intybus, Cornopus didimus, Spergula arvensis, Chenopodium album, Rumex dentatus and some grass family weeds are commonly found. They not only deteriorate fodder quality but also decreases 25-35% fodder and seed yield. It is a major challenge to control the berseem weeds for enhancement of fodder and seed yield quality. Description: The seed production plot should be irrigated two to three days before application of weedicide. The weedicide, imazethapyr @ 0.1 kg a.i./ha should be applied 15-20 days after sowing. The spraying should be uniform to cover entire production plot. Care should be taken not to go for spraying during heavy winds to avoid drifting and during cloudy weather as immediate rain will reduce the effect of weedicide. This weedicide significantly controls all types of weeds in berseem crop (Fig.34 a & b) Advantages: Reduced weed growth resulted in improved seed yield with high quality. The foul smell found in the milk and milk products due to feeding of weeds such as Cornopus didimus along with berseem can be reduced. It increases the green fodder and seed yield of berseem by 18 and 38% respectively compared to zero weed control practices.

Fig. 34: (a). Weedy check; (b). Imazethapyr treated plot Different other interventions to improve seed yield in berseem lIrrigation at timely intervals of one week to 10 days, based on soil type, after last cut enhances the seed yield. lSpray of 2% KNO3 during panicle initiation stage helps in enhancing the seed yield lCrop cut at a stubble height of 10 cm performed better than cut at 5 cm height. lIt was found that less sugar accumulation in collar region at the time of leaving the crop for seed was one of the causes of low seed yield in berseem. The sugar accumulation in collar

region was improved by the spray of superphosphate (2 kg P2O5/ha) + KNO3 (4 kg/ha) which ultimately increased seed yield. lSeed treatment by soaking the seed in Bavistin + Thiram (0.25% each) solution for 24 h followed by drying proved to be the best controlling method for basal rot (Fusarium oxysporum) which result in better germination and higher seed yield.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 43 13

Way Forward

Due to higher production potential, succulence, palatability, nutritive value and continuous supply of fodder over a long period of seven months berseem is considered as king of fodder crops. It has the potential to penetrate into the eastern as well as the north eastern region if quality seed of high yielding varieties are promoted in farmers' field in an organised way. India is several high yielding varieties and several technological interventions have been identified to enhance the production and productivity of berseem. But certain bottle necks as discussed in earlier chapters, are to be rectified to have a successful indigenous seed production system in berseem. Strategies for increased seed production lIrrigation at timely intervals of one week to 10 days, based on soil type, after last cut enhances the seed yield. lStrengthening of generation system of seed production in berseem. lTo make available quality seeds of certified class to the farmers, inclusive approach through convergence of public, private and informal seed system is the need of hour. lEncouragement to private players to take up fodder seed production in a competitive way. lA time bound concrete action oriented road map involving all stakeholders should be prepared and followed to achieve the self-sufficiency in berseem seed. lCreating congenial environment with startup support to come up with business ventures in berseem seed production. lThe public sector seed production organizations like NSC, State seed development corporations should be roped in for large scale berseem seed multiplication lImprovement of marketing facilities and development of organized marketing is essential for berseem seed. lSingle cut berseem varieties are in the pipeline can reduced the crop duration and will fit a short duration crop as extra benefit in rabi season. lEmphasis is to be directed towards national level programmes to meet forage seed demands. lExclusive web portal for forage seed with supporting statistical data and marketing facilities. lDevelopment of Fodder Seed Consortium (FSC) with all stakeholders for in-depth interaction among stakeholders for identification of constraints and to get solutions. lA holistic survey by the agriculture and animal husbandry departments in all berseem growing states to record area under berseem cultivation, production and productivity along with details of its seed production and availability is required immediately.

44 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India lImprovement in the infrastructure for storage and processing of fodder seeds is to be stressed. lAt higher level, the policy issues on incentives for forage seed production and marketing has to be realised by the government to promote large scale seed production program in the farmers' fields. lMechanism for self-sufficiency may be developed in the form of forage seed villages. lParticipatory mode of seed production system is to be encouraged. lInvolvement of Farmers' associations/NGOs in formal seed multiplication and production systems exclusively for forage crops is to be focused. If the benefit cost ratio is considered, berseem seed production can provide more benefit than wheat or rice to farmers. This needs to be emphasized along with development of proper marketing channel for attracting farming community towards berseem seed production. If the expected and proposed target of interventions by various stakeholders are achieved to a satisfactory level, we can look forward for an improved berseem seed production and supply system which will certainly improve the milk availability and quality during winter season and will help the farmers to earn elegant platter.

BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 45 14

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BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India 47 BERSEEM: Intricacies of Seed Production in India

Published by : Director, ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi Tel.: 0510-2730666, Fax: 0510-2730833 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.igfri.res.in