ADVANCES IN SEED

PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLE
CROPS

Prof. Umesh G Nalawadi

Rtd. Director of PGS
UAS , Dharwad

7/3/19 1
HYBRID SEED PRODUCTION IN SOLANACEOUS CROPS

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Hybrid : Its nothing but a cross between two
parents .

Hybrid varieties : It’s the first generation (F1)

from crosses between two purelines , inbreds,
OP varieties, clones or other population’s that
are genetically dissimilar.

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Hari Har ram,2012 3
• Emasculation :Removal of anthers from a bud or flower
before pollen is shed

• Pollination :Transfer of pollen from anther to a stigma

of the same flower or another flower.

• Male sterility : absence or nonfunctioning of pollen in

plants.
7/3/19 Hari Har ram,2012 4
• Heterosis : superiority of heterozygous genotype in respect to
one or more traits in comparison with corresponding
homozygotes.

• Combining ability, general :The average performance of a

genetic strain in a series of crosses.

• Combining ability, specific : the performance of specific

combinations of genetic strain in a crosses in relation to the

average performance of all combinations.

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 Floral Biology
Cyme
9 anthers

Actinomorphic
5- stamnes
5 Calyx lobes,
5 petals

Pentameous
5- stamens
5-7 corolla lobes

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Table 2. Natural cross-pollinated (NCP) and pollination vectors in
vegetables crops

NCP(%) Pollination vector

Lycoperiscon esculentum 0.59-4.90 Bumble bee
0.00-5.00 Honey bees
Solanum tuberosum 0.00-20.00 Bumble bees
S. melongena 0.20-46.80 Insects and wind
Capsicum annum 7.00-37.00 Honey bees

Peter ,2009

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 Techniques used for Hybrid seed production

 Mechanical method 

 Sex expression 

 Self incompatibility 

 Male sterility 

Hazra,1999 8
7/3/19
 Male sterility 

1. Genetic male sterility(GMS/NMS) 
(tomato,chilli)

2. Cytoplasmic genetic male sterility 
(CGMS) (chilli)

3. Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)
(onion)
7/3/19 Hazra,1999 9
 Steps involved for Hybridization programme
in tomato
The 7 steps involved in hybridization programme
mainly.
1. Selection of parents.(per se performance)
2. Evaluation of parents(GCA,SCA effect)
3. Emasculation of male flowers.
4. Bagging
5. Tagging
6. Pollination
7. Harvesting of F1 hybrid seeds.
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 Emasculation

Pollen collection

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 Pollination

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 Seed extraction

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14
 Table 3 : Recommended Isolation distance
required for hybrid seed production

Sl. no Crops Foundation Certified

seed seed
1. Tomato 50m 25m

2. Brinjal 200m 100m

3. Chilli/capsicum 400m 200m

4. Potato (TPS) 50m 50m

Tubers 5m 5m
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 Table 4. Roughing followed in hybrid seed production.

Sl. No 1st time 2nd time 3rd time

Tomato Before Early flowering First ripe fruit
flowering
Brinjal Before Early flowering First fruit
flowering maturity
Capsicum Before Early flowering First fruit at
/chilli flowering and first fruit market maturity

Potato

7/3/19 Hari Har Ram,2012

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 Advantage of hybrid seed production
• Gives early yield. Eg: tomato,chilli,brinjal.

• Increase in total yield.

• Uniform maturity ,size , large number of

fruits/plant.
• Fruit firmness.

• Better fruit quality.

• Better resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

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Hari Har Ram,2012
 Disadvantages
 Lack of adequate seed production of the standard
recommended hybrids.
 Lack of their package of practices.

 Non availability of seeds of parental lines of good

hybrids.
 Absence of an effective plant variety protection system.

 Absence of practical training facilities.

 No regulation on sale of seeds, without testing. 18

7/3/19 Hari Har Ram,2012
 Chilli /Hot pepper
 Capsicum annuum L.

 2n=2x=24

 Origin : Tropical America

 A.P – highest productivity

 Rich in Vit. – A and C

• Oleoresin – economic in importance.

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7/3/19 Singh,2014
 Capsicum/sweet pepper
 Capsicum annuum L.
 2n=2x=24
 Origin :Tropical America
 China major producer
 Himachal pradesh is the
leading supplier during off
season

7/3/19 Singh,2014 20
 Tomato
 Lycoperiscon esculentum. Mill.

 2n=24

 Origin : South America

 Ancestor : L. e. var, cerasiforme.

 Rich in Vitamin C

 33% of total F1 hybrids is by tomato

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Singh,2014
 Brinjal
 Solanum melongena L.

 2n=24.

 Origin : India

 India is 2nd largest producer.

 Good for diabetics patients.

 Goitrogenic principle.

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Table 15. Extent of natural cross-pollination under different planting
designs in brinjal

Planting design Perc ent NCP

Self – fertilizing Emasculated
flowers flower
Honey comb 13.5 24.4
Alternate rows 11.6 18.3
Concentric circle 11.8 -
Mean 11.8 -

Kanwar and Gills , 2000,Ludhiana

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 Potato

Solanum tuberosum L.
2n : 2x= 48
Economic - Tubers
Fruit - berry
Potato is 4th in food production

Hari Har Ram,2012

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 Table 20: Achievements
Tomato
Arka Vishal IIHR 837× IIHR 932 Tolerant to cracking
Arka Shreshta 15 SBSB × IIHR 1614 Resistant to bacterial wilt
Pusa Divya Long style × Roma Developed using male
sterile .

Pusa Hybrid -1 Pusa sheetal × chikoo Fruit set at high night

temperature

Chilli
Arka Sweta developed by CGMS line
Arka Meghana developed by CGMS line
CH-1-PAU MS-12× LLS
CH-3-PAU MS-12× S-2530
Capsicum
Pusa Deepti Yolo Wonder× Russian Yellow
IAHS: Bharat -

7/3/19 Muthukumar,2013 25
Brinjal
Pusa Anmol PPL × Hyderpur
Pusa Hybrid -5 Sel NDB-25 × Sel 129-5
Pusa Hybrid -6 Sel – Br-112× Sel 91-2
Pusa Hybrid -9 Sel 91-2-1 × Sel 190-10-12
Potato
Kufri Chandramukhi Seedling 4485 × kufri Kuber
Kufri Laukar Kufri Neelamani × Kufri Jyoti
Kufri Bahar Kufri red × Gineke
Kufri Sutlej Kufri Bahar × Kufri Alankar

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7/3/19 Muthukumar,2013
 RECENT ADVANCES IN SEED PRODUCTION OF COLE CROPS

INTRODUCTION
These are most important group of winter vegetables grown throughout the world.
The word Cole seems to have come word “Caulis” which means stem
The term Cole was used to refer the group of highly differentiated plants
originating from a single wild form known as “Cole Warts”.
Botanically it is Brassica oleracea var. sylvestris, family Brassicaceae.
 Seed production of these crops is being exploited to a smaller extent to produce
high quality seeds.
 Among the several seed production practices, standardization of sowing dates,
population dynamics , Spacing and adequate fertilizer plays a decisive role in
producing higher seed yield coupled with better quality traits.

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INTRODUCTION
• Cabbage - Brassica oleracea var. capitata
• Cauliflower - Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
• Knol Khol / Khol rabi - Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes
• Brussels Sprouts - Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
• Sprouting Broccoli - Brassica oleracea var. italica

Chromosome no – 2n = 18

Family - Brassicaceae

Origin – Mediterranean region

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 FLORAL BIOLOGY

• The flowers have four bright-

yellow petals that are broad on
the distal end, and appear in
the form of a cross, hence the
former family name
Cruciferae (cross bearing).
• 4 petals, 4 sepals ,6 stamens
• 1 pistil with 2 carpels
• 10 to 15 ovules per carpel
protogynous, perfect flowers
• Inflorescence: Raceme
• The pistil develops into a long,
slender silique (pod)
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PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

• Cole crops are succulent, large-leaved, generally low-growing

plants that reach a height of one or two feet before flowering.

• Upon flowering they reach a height of two to seven feet.

• The roots of cole crops tend to be fibrous, finely branched, and

widely spread.

• The main taproot and laterals typically penetrate the soil at an

oblique angle, forming a cone-like mass that is mostly in the
upper foot of soil with the narrower (apex) part of the cone
reaching a depth of two or more feet depending on the type
and tilth of the soil.
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 Pollination
The Cole crops are highly cross
pollinated because of
1) Self incompatibility
2) Protogyny.

The self incompatibly is at stigmatic

surface i.e sporophytic.
The stigma becomes receptive even 5
days before the start of Anthesis and
receptivity continues for 3-4 days.

3)The pollination takes place with the

help of insects mainly honey bees
4)Male sterility

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Crop Time of sowing Time of
Transplanting
Cabbage Feb-March March-April
Cauliflower Early June –July Sept.
Mid & late Aug-Sept. Sept-October
Knol khol August. Sept.
Sprouting Broccoli Aug - Sept Sept-October

Brussels Sprouts August-October October

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CROPS CULTIVARS
Cabbage Golden Acre, Pride of India, Copenhagen Market, Pusa
Mukta, Pusa Drum Head

Cauliflower Early Early Kunwari, Kashi Kunwari, Pusa Katki, Pusa

varieties Deepali, Pusa Early Synthetic, Improved Japanese,
Pant Gobhi-3
Mid season Pant Shubhra, Pusa Synthetic, Pusa Shubhra,
varieties Pant Gobhi-4, Hissar-1
Late Pusa Snowball-1, Snowball-16, Pusa Snowball K-1,
Varieties Pusa Himjyoti
Knol-Kohl White Vienna, Purple Vienna, King of North, Large
Green
Sprouting Broccoli Greenbud, Italian Green, Green Mountain, Decicco

Brussels Sprouts Bubbles , Catskill Improved, Jade Cross , Long Island

Improved.

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Vernalization and flowering
• Period of cold exposure before flowering is called
vernalization.
• Temperature of 4 to 100C for at least 4-6 weeks depending on
the duration of the exposure and the absolute temperature.
• The most effective temperature is 50C
• Longer vernalization also produces more flowers, which can
result in greater seed yield per plant.
• Biennial brassicas must be over-wintered for vernalization to
occur.
• Vernalization of the seed, seedling, or young plant is not
sufficient to cause flowering because there must be sufficient
nutrient reserves to support flowering.

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Isolation distance
Contaminants Minimum
distance(m)
Foundation seeds Certified seeds
Fields of other 1600 1000
varieties
Fields of the same 1600 1000
variety not
conforming varietal
purity

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 Roguing
Minimum number of field inspections: 4

Roguing stages
1. Before the marketable stage,
2. Start of curd, head, knob formation,
3. When most plants have formed Curd, head or knob
4. At flowering stage

Off type (%) Maximum permitted

FS 0.10
CS 0.20

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Seed production

A. In –situ or seed to seed method

1.Stump method
2.Stump with central core intact method
3.Head intact method

B. Head to seed method

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 A. In –situ or seed to seed method.
• The plants with good curd (cauliflower), head (cabbage) and knob (knol-khol) are
left in the field where they are planted for flowering and to produce seeds.
• The crop is allowed to complete its vegetative stage, bolting, flowering and set
seed in the same field after transplanting.

• There is no removal of head / curd/ knobs after completion of their vegetative

stage.

• This method is not advisable where the temperature attains zero or sub zero.

• Normally the yields are 10 % - 20% more and crop is ready for harvest about 10 to
5 days earlier than the other method.

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39
Seed Production of Cucurbitaceous Vegetables
 Cucurbits - Special Features

• The cultivated species of family Cucurbitaceae are called cucurbit

vegetables
• The family consists of 118 genera & 825 species
• 100 spand 36 generain cucurbits found in India-About 20 species of
11 genera are cultivated as vegetables
• Important cucurbit vegetables: bottlegourd, bittergourd, spongegourd,
ridgegourd, ashgourd, snakegourd, pointedgourd, ivygourd,
sweetgourd, cucumber, gherkin, muskmelon, watermelon, longmelon,
snapmelon, pumpkin, wintersquash, summersquash, chow-chow.
• Besides vegetables, they are used as salads, pickles, sweets and for
other purposes.
Important Features of Cultivated Cucurbits

• Annuals (except pointed gourd, ivygourd, chow-chow and

small gourd)

• Common Sex types:

monoecious,androemonoecious,hermaphrodite,dioecious,gyno
eciousandandroecious.Monoecious common form

• Female: male sex ratio of 1:15 to1:30

• Failure of the plant to set fruit stimulates production of a

higher proportion of female or hermaphrodite flower (1:4to1:8)
• Only staminate flower produced in the first phase followed
by a phase of irregularly alternating female,male or mixed
node and finally a phase of only pistillate flowers.

• Sex expression largely depends on environmental

conditions-Short days, lowertemp, high humidity and low
N status increase female flower

• Appearance of pistillate flowers at earlier nodes is

indicative of earliness and such types given preference.

• Propagated by seeds (except pointedgourd, ivygourd and

smallgourd)
Variability in Cucumber and gourds
• Only staminate flower produced in the first phase followed
by a phase of irregularly alternating female,male or mixed
node and finally a phase of only pistillate flowers.

• Sex expression largely depends on environmental

conditions-Short days, lowertemp, high humidity and low
N status increase female flower

• Appearance of pistillate flowers at earlier nodes is

indicative of earliness and such types given preference.

• Propagated by seeds (except pointedgourd, ivygourd and

smallgourd)
Variability in Melon and squash
gourdMale and Female Flowers in important Cucurbits
 Muskmelon

Luffa

Cucumber

Female flower Male flower

 Seed production technology of open
pollinated varieties of cucurbits

• Basic requirement of open pollinated seed production of cucurbits

• The basic requirement of seed production of cucurbits i.e. Isolation

requirements, choice of season and areas of seed production, rouging
etc are same as discussed in cucumber.

• A part from morphological character and flowering behaviors, seed

crops hould be monitored carefully during fruit maturity stage on the
basis off ruitshape, colour, rind colour, skin(netted/plain),
fleshcolour(orange/green/white), TSS and cavity size.
• It is essential to remove vine showing late maturity of fruits in the
early variety and viceversa.

• Mosaic effected plants, which is seedborne should be carefully

removed and destroyed from the seedplot. Be sides days to maturity,
someother parameters are also used as criteria of maturity index.

• Ripening stage in muskmelon indicates softening of rind, change

incolour from green to yellow and developing of anabscission layer
at the point of attachment of fruit to stack that results in easy
separation of fruit and the stage is known as full slip stage.

• Moisture content should be 6 percent if stored under ordinary room

temperature and when seeds are to be stored in seed and 6 percent
vapour proof containers
 Isolation requirements
• The cucurbits are cross pollinated in nature and honey bees are
major pollinator, thus for pure seed production an isolation distance
all around seed field is necessary.

• The isolation distance of 400 m for C.S. And 800m for F.S. And
atleast 1000m isolation is required for breeder seed production.

• Muskmelon, long melon and snapemelon (phoot) can cross with

each other. Similarly, species of genus Cucurbita have the risk of
crossability among them.

• Cucumber can cross easily with its wild relative Cucumis hardwickee
found in wild form insub-mountainous regions of Himalayas
 Choice of season and areas of seed
production:

• Seed crop should be raised in dry season at the time

of seed maturity and seed extraction.

• Locations are also important in seed production with

reference to seed yield and quality of seed.

• Suitable Are as for seed production: Punjab,

Haryana, U.P, Jalana (Aurangabad) in Maharashtra,
Rani benur and around Bangalore in Karnataka,
Nandyal Valley in A.P.
 Roguing

• Seed crop is to be monitored at various stages for removal of off-

type and should be carried out before flowering to avoid natural
cross-pollination. Fruit set and complete fruit development stages
are also important.
• Stages of rouging
1. Before flowering: Off types are detected on the basis of vegetative
characters like vine growth, foliage morphology, colour etc

2. Flowering stage: Early and late varieties can be easily identified

on the basis of sex expression and sex ratio. Development of fruits
at lower node which is an indicator for earliness should also be
taken into consideration.
 Maturity of fruit:
• Cucurbits take fairly long time to attain harvest able
maturity. The maximum period is required in crops like
pumpkin, ashgourd and water melon.

• Muskmelon, roundmelon, cucumber and bittergourd take

relatively less time.

• The maturity also influenced by the environmental factors

and crop management (trailingetc.).

• The maturity period is shorter in summer season than rainy

season.
 Other important parameters of maturity
index
• Cucumber and summer squash: Fruit turn pale yellow to
golden yellow and attached with plant.

• Pumpkin: Fruit redden and seeds inside the shell breake

readily from pulp.

• Muskmelon: Full slip stage.

• Watermelon: Fruits are ready for harvest when they reach

edible maturity, fruit colour change from green /white to
pale yellow of underside of the fruit.
• Bitter gourd and snake gourd: Fruit turn to
bright yellow.

• Bottle gourd: At maturity fruit colour fade to

starw free nor pale yellow.

• Luffa: Complete drying /fruit turn to brown

colour.

• Major cucurbits seed production regions in India

 Seed Extraction
• Two method of seed extraction employed in
cucurbits.
(a) Dry method: The dried fruits are cut from one side
and the seeds come out from the fruit e.g. sponge
gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd.

(b) (b) Wet method: employed for seeds extraction of

cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, ash gourd,
bitter gourd, round melon and long melon. In wet
method, the seed extraction done by three ways :
• (i) Mechanical Extraction: fruits are cut into pieces and macerated
by machine and seeds are separated out from pulp by floating
with water. Quick, less expensive and seeds retain good lusture.
e.g., bottle gourd, watermelon, round melon and ash gourd.

• (ii) Natural Fermentation: The scooped material kept in

wooden/plastic or steel vessel for 48 hours at room temperature
and stirred 2-3 times and then seed is washed thoroughly with
water 2-3 times.

• (iii) Chemical Extraction: 25-30 ml. of HCL or 8-10 ml. of

commercial H2SO4 added per 5 kg of pulp and some quantity of
water is mixed, stirring of pulp is done to enhance to separation
and left for 30 minutes. The impurities will float and seed will
sink. This is quick method but accuracy of acid and time is
important
 Seed Yield
• Seed yield depends upon the crop, variety, location,
season and management of the seed crops. Average
seed yield of different cucurbits is given below.
• Cucumber 110-130Kg/ha,
• Bottlegourd,200-250Kg/ha,
• Bittergourd150- 200kg/ha,
• Sponge gourd 200-250Kg/ha,
• Pumpkin250-300Kg/ha,
• Muskmelon 150-160Kg/ha,
• Watermelon 250-300Kg/ha
 Seed Production in bulb crops
• Onion

• Bulb-to-seed method is followed for onion seed production.

• Onion crop flowers in March and pollination is aided by bees.
• Onion seed fields are isolated from other varieties by isolation
distance of 1000 m.
• Roguing is done before flowering, after flowering and at
maturity.
• Seeds are harvested when umbels are dry and black seed is
seen in capsules.
• Harvesting of seed umbels is done in the month of May during
morning hours. Harvested umbels are kept for drying on
threshing floor and seed is extracted after one week of drying.
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 Seed production in root crops
• Carrot
• Carrot is an insect pollinated crop.
• The core colour of the roots is also taken into
consideration while root selection.
• seed plot field is isolated from fields of other varieties
by at least1000 m for breeder seed production.
• The primary umbels are harvested mainly during first
picking while second picking mainly constitutes of
secondary umbels.
• It is advisable not to harvest tertiary umbels in Asiatic
carrots as they contain embryo-less seeds. The
harvested umbels are left on threshing floor for 3- 4
days before seed extraction.
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 • Radish

• Radish is cross- pollinated by insects.

• Seed is sown on ridges in mid- September to
mid- October for root production.
• seed plots must be isolated from fields of other
cultivars by at least 1600 m.
• The plants flower in January- February and seed
is harvested by April.

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 Thank you..

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