Biotechnology – Breakout

1. National Seed Industry
supplemented with
Biotechnology
Promoting the movement of quality seeds
1
Kumudini Gunasekare, PhD
Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology & Innovation
National Consultative Workshop on Strengthening and Roadmapping
Of Emerging Technology Innovation Systems– 17-19 November 2015,
Colombo, Sri Lanka

2. Significance of seed industry
• New plant varieties and quality seeds are important facets
• Investment in seeds - lifeline to any agri-business
• No room for comprise with seed quality and identity
2
Total seed import – 44 types – 1.39 m kg
(DoA Annual Report 2012-2014, SCPPC)
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
kg
Total Seed Import

3. Major constraints – Seed industry
Snapshot
• Uncontrolled seed market – integrity
• Partnerships between state and private sector
• Inefficient quality control measures
• Phytosanitary control on seeds/Planting material
• Formal and informal seed systems (wide range of crops via informal
system)
• Investments undermined by ineffective (rather absence) of IPP/PVP
• Unlawful appropriations of germplasm for seed production
• Seed Piracy & Counterfeit
• Unfair competition by the partners on the seed market
• Inefficient processing and storage facilities
• Proper gap analysis/ status – seed sectors?????
3
• National Seed Policy - 1996
• Seed Act enacted in 2003
• PVP act - not yet in place!!!!
• Lack of enabling policy environment

4. Key issues – Technology/ Innovation
• Technologies no longer appropriate
• Mostly the conventional/classical methods –
less precise
• Need to develop/adopt high throughput
technologies, robust quality management
practices, capability and capacity, state-of the
art-facilities
4

5. The Roadmap
Potential areas for interventions
• Mutually reinforcing technology areas and
technology drivers
• Not only Biotechnology –
Converging technologies – Bio./Nano./IT
5

6. 6
Varietal Identity
Genetic purity
Rouging
Conformity -EDVs
Virus elimination
Recalcitrant /VP
Manipulate ovule: seed
ratio
Hybridity, IPP/PVP
Regulating GMOs
Multiplication Processing
Packaging &
Labelling
Distribution - retail/
enduser
Storage
Potential areas for interventions / investment

7. 7
Multiplication Processing
Packaging &
Labelling
Distribution - retail/
enduser
Storage
Cleaning & Grading
Priming
Seed tretaments
Coating
High-tech sensor based
solution cleaning /grading
Detection kits
Biological agents
Molecular pathways dormancy,
vigor, germination
Advanced polymers slow-release
priming
Proprietary polymer systems
reducing “dust-off”
Potential areas for interventions / investment

8. 8
Multiplication Processing
Packaging &
Labelling
Distribution - retail/
enduser
Storage
Shelf life
(Longivity and Viability)
Orthodox vs recalcitrant
seed packaging
Product Integrity
Nano-composite material
Anti-counterfeit solutions
(Nano barcode / Nanocomposite
tags)
e-tracking system /recall
Potential areas for interventions / investment

9. 9
Multiplication Processing
Packaging &
Labelling
Distribution - retail/
enduser
Storage
Not always with complete
agreement amongst experts
Need R&D
T0, RH, Light
Seed moister level
Catalogue
Standards for germination
(IT based solutions for
precision)
Storage conditions
Longevity/Viability
Germination
Orthodox vs recalcitrant
Standards for germination
Priming vs storage
Potential areas for interventions / investment

10. A value chain model based on quality assurance mechanism
From raw product to end-use
10
TRACEBILITY
BEYOND
Capacity building:
• Effective communication of added value to the end-users - paying a premium for quality seed
• Gap analysis of academic curricula and upcoming seed industrial requirements - HR
• Establishment and maintenance of appropriate infrastructure and technical know-how