FSC&RD issues 505 variety names during last year

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2026) The Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) has issued more than 505 variety Names for the enlistment of new crop varieties, a significant step aimed at increasing the production and availability of certified,

high-yielding seeds across the country.

The initiative was part of the government's broader efforts to strengthen the national seed system, promote agricultural productivity, and ensure farmers have access to quality seed of improved crop varieties, said an official of FSC&DA.

Talking to APP on Tuesday, the official said that the department received 289 challans under the account head C03139 for the enlistment of new varieties. In addition, the department's Central Seed Testing Laboratory tested 267 seed lots covering a wide range of crops, including cereals, fodders, pulses, vegetables, and oilseeds, to ensure compliance with prescribed quality standards.

The department also updated and circulated the National Register of Enlisted Varieties, which now contains 7,814 entries, he said adding that the updated register serves as an important reference document for seed producers, researchers, regulatory authorities, and farmers, facilitating the availability and commercialization of approved crop varieties while strengthening quality assurance mechanisms in the seed sector.

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He further informed that 221 seed lots and samples were tested for various quality parameters, including vegetables, pulses, cereals, fodders, grasses, pistachio, and oilseed crops. These laboratory evaluations focused on seed purity, germination, and other quality characteristics essential for maintaining national and international seed standards.

The department also introduced several technical improvements in seed testing procedures. Specialized protocols were optimized for ferula, chilgoza, and pistachio seeds to improve the accuracy of purity and germination assessments, he added.

In another notable achievement, he said that the commercial samples of card-embedded seeds and seed tapes were tested for the first time, reflecting the department's efforts to accommodate emerging seed technologies and innovative planting materials.

On the human resource development front, the FSC&RD organized training and capacity-building programmes for 213 agriculture students, providing practical exposure to seed certification, testing methodologies, varietal registration procedures, and quality control systems.

Furthermore, the department conducted 215 Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) trials on different crop varieties, he said adding that these trials were a prerequisite for the registration and protection of new plant varieties.