Department of Seed Science and Technology

About the Department

The PG programme at Department of Seed Technology, TCA, Dholi, started from academic session 1998 however it was suspended from 04th Sept., 2004 due to shortage of teachers in the Department. The PG programme has again been revived from academic session 2020-21 with an intake capacity of 05 M.Sc (Ag.) students. Up till now only two students have obtained M.Sc. (Ag.) degree in seed Technology from the department. The name of the Department has also been changed from Seed Technology to Seed Science & Technology from academic session 2020-21.

Mandate:

  • To conduct, co-ordinate and monitor research on different aspects of seed Science & Technology.
  • To generate basic information on seed certification standards including seed health.
  • To disseminate information and impart training on Seed Production, Processing, Storage and Packaging, quantity control and seed health.
  • To make linkage with chop improvement projects, seed institutes, seed certification agencies, seed trade, NGO’s/KVKs etc.

Objectives/Goals:

  • Identification of suitable seed provenance to from ‘National Seed Grid’ including offseason seed production.
  • Optimization of planting windows in quality seed production of varied crops to mitigate effect of climate change.
  • Standardization of organic seed production technology.
  • Optimization of micro-nutrients and growth regulators in relation to reproductive behaviour to augment the seed yield.
  • Standardization of seed production technologies under protected cultivation.
  • Studies on effect of climate change on pollination dynamics.
  • Developing alternative methods (Self incompatibility and apomixes systems) for hybrid seed production in a bid to exploit heterosis.
  • Harmonization of seed standards in tune to the needs of OECD certification standards.
  • Studies on physiological manipulations to enhance ovule to seed ratio.
  • Studies on floral traits, floral biology and pollination dynamics on seed yield and quality.
  • Studies on pollen collection and storage leading to establishment of pollen banks.
  • Validation/up-gradation of filed and seed standards/protocols, isolation distance, sample size, physical purity and ODV’s in varied crops.
  • Standardization of seed testing procedures in field, vegetable, medicinal and green manure crops.
  • Standardization of DNA finger printing/molecular makers tools to supplement Grow-Out-Text (GOT).
  • Use of second and third generation tools for seed quality enhancement.
  • Identification of suitable seed treatments/ materials/ methods for safe storage of seed.
  • Identification of disease free zones for quality seed production.
  • Development of rapid and reliable techniques for detection, identification and screening of seed materials for different seed borne diseases.
  • Development of field and seed standards for seed borne diseases and strengthening of work on biological control of seed borne diseases.
  • Revisiting of field and seed standards for seed-borne diseases.
  • Monitoring, detection, and management of new seed borne diseases.

Degrees Offered

S. No. Degree Offered Subject/ Discipline No. of Seats Eligibility Qualifications
i M. Sc. (Ag) Soil Science 05 B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture/Horticulture

Facilities and Infrastructure

  • Seed testing Laboratory
  • Smart Classroom for PG Students

Achievements

Achievements

  • The pinching practice after 50-60 days of sowing (plant height 90 cm) and foliar application of DAP(2%) + MN mixture [ZnSO4 (0.5%) + Boric acid (0.3%)] + NAA (40 ppm) at the time of flowering is recommended for better seed yield and seed quality in Dhaincha.

Faculty awards/ honours

  • Rajesh Kumar recived “Outstanding achievement award” in the 2nd “International Conference on Food & Agriculture” by ICFA 2018.
  • Rajesh Kumar recived 2nd prize to poster entitled “Assessment of Antimicrobial and Phytochemical Activities of Different Plant Extracts of Tinospora Cordifolia (Thumb.) Miers and Gynocardia Odorta (Roxb.) held on 22-24 Dec. 2016 at RPCAU, Pusa. 

Research activities

  • Rajesh Kumar is PI and Dr. Sumeet Kr. Singh is Co-PI of the internationally funded project “AGGRI-ALLIANCE IRRI Breeding network project funded by IRRI.
  • International Collaborations with IIRI, CIMMYT.

Publications

  • Text Books: Agricultural Science-I for Class-XI published by Bihar State text book publishing corporation Ltd.
  • Lab Manuals: Farmers Training manual Seed Production, Testing & Storage published by Publication division, RPCAU, Pusa.

Extension Activities

Five days National Training on “Quality Seed Production Technology of cereals” from 21 to 25 February 2017 was organized at Directorate of Seed and Farms, RPCAU, Pusa in joint collaboration with National Seed Research & Training Center, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers welfare, Varanasi (UP) with officials engaged in of Seed Production, certification & enforcement under Government of Bihar, Karnataka and PC of KVK’s, RPCAU, Pusa

Name Designation Contact No. E-mail Id
Dr. S.K. Singh Head & Associate Professor 6287797192, 7250209227 satish.singh@rpcau.ac.in
Dr. Rajesh Kumar  Associate Professor 8809435010 rajesh.pbg@rpcau.ac.in
Dr. Umesh Kumar Singh Assistant Professor 9931956795 uksinghraupusa@gmail.com
Dr. R. K. Mandal Assistant Professor-cum- Scientist 7257878992 rk.mandal@rpcau.ac.in
Dr. Sumeet Kumar Singh Assistant Professor 9334792496 sumeet.singh@rpcau.ac.in