DUS characterization and assessing the diversity of varieties in onion and garlic

Abstract

DUS test (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability) are essential for registering new varieties under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act 2001 (PPV&FRA) in our country and 150 crops/ species have been notified for registration including onion and garlic in India. The variety must be clearly distinguishable by one or more essential characters from any other variety, whose existence is a matter of common knowledge at the time when the protection is applied. The variety is deemed uniform if subjected to variation that may be expected from the particular features of its propagation. It should be sufficiently uniform in its relevant characters. DUS test guidelines for onion and garlic were notified by PPV&FRA in 2009 in India with 34 DUS test characters for onion varieties and 32 characters for garlic varieties. All the available short day varieties of onion and garlic are being maintained at DOGR, Rajgurunagar and IARI, New Delhi; long day varieties are maintained at CITH, Srinagar; and multiplier onion varieties are being maintained at TNAU, Coimbatore. Thirty-eight rabi onion varieties including land races are being maintained during rabi season whereas 10 onion varieties being maintained during kharif season. All the 17 garlic varieties including land races being maintained during rabi season. To register varieties it needs to be applied to PPV&FR Authority, New Delhi in prescribed format. Certain guidelines were given for registration of onion and garlic and rules for farmers are relaxed and they have equal rights for registration. The candidate variety was tested for DUS characters in two seasons at two locations; whereas farmers’ variety was tested only in one season at two locations.