question_answer 76)

  Discuss the importance of testing of new plant varieties in ageographically vast country like India.  

Answer:

                  Before the new plants are generated through plant breeding programs, they need to be evaluated for their yield and other agronomic traits of quality, disease resistance, etc. The testing is done on the farmers' field for at least three growing seasons, at different locations in the country representing all the agro climatic zones, where the crop is usually grown. The material is evaluated in comparison to the best available local crop cultivar known as a check or reference cultivar.