Question

What are the steps undertaken before release of a crop for public use?

• A. Growing the cultivars in fields and checking their performance
• B. Growing the cultivars in farmers' fields under different agro-climatic zones
• C. Multiplication of seeds of the selected cultivar
• D. Comparison of the new cultivar with other existing cultivars
• E. Only A and D

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (C), (D)

The correct options are
A Growing the cultivars in fields and checking their performance
B Growing the cultivars in farmers' fields under different agro-climatic zones
C Multiplication of seeds of the selected cultivar
D Comparison of the new cultivar with other existing cultivars

The evaluation of cultivars is done by growing them in fields and checking their performance under ideal conditions, such as good irrigation, fertiliser application and using other effective crop management practices. This is followed by evaluation of the the newly developed cultivars in the farmers’ fields for at least three growing seasons. The testing is done at several locations in the country, representing all the agro-climatic zones where the crop is usually grown. Then the new cultivar is compared with best available local crop cultivars in the farms. A new cultivar that is superior to all the existing cultivars is thus selected and it undergoes a process known as seed multiplication.