Seed Certification Standards for Quality Planting Material Production of Cassava, Sweet Potato, Lesser Yam and Taro

Abstract

Tropical tuber crops are propagated through vegetative method of propagation. This method of propagationincludes micropropagation which facilitates faster multiplication of true to type clones. High yieldingclones can be propagated faster using vegetative method of propagation without going for generation toachieve stabilization. However, due to the presence of large number of viruses and virus like organisms,there are all possibilities for transmission of diseases through clonal propagation, many of will belethal. Furthermore, tuber crops have long duration and any mistake done in the choice of cultivar,quality of planting material and seed may invite more risks to the farmers. Quality seed/planting materialtherefore is one of the most important determinants of tuber crop production, which influences theoutput apart from other inputs like fertilizer, water management, pesticide etc. The efforts taken forseveral years may become futile, if true to type, healthy and disease- free planting material is not used.Therefore, quality of planting material of tuber crops with minimum seed certification standardsassumesgreater significance in the development and production of tuber crops.