Punjab Tissue Culture based Seed Potato Rules – 2021

The Punjab Tissue Culture based Seed Potato rules, 2021 were approved by the Cabinet of Punjab State Government in November 2021. The rules aim to develop Punjab into a standard potato seed centre.

About Punjab Tissue Culture based Seed Potato rules, 2021

• The Tissue Culture based seed Potato Committee advises the state government on the matters related to the implementation of the rules
• The laboratory or net house facilities or aeroponics used to produce seed potatoes should be pest free and pathogen free. The water used should be impurities free.
• Hygiene conditions such as air purity, use of pure tissue grade chemicals, proper disposal of contamination, proper autoclaving of culture media should be maintained.
• The aeroponics facilities installed for tissue culture-based potato seed production should be approved by Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla.
• The facility should be insect free.
• The person entering the facilities should use plastic boots or Wellington boots.
• The plants used should be tested for Potato Virus M, Potato Virus X, Potato Virus Y and Potato Leaf Role Virus.

Rules for the soil

The soil used should not be infested by the following:

• Pathogens and pests
• Wart or cysts forming nematodes
• Common scab
• Black Scurf

Field Inspection

A minimum of four inspections should be made. The first inspection should be made in 30 to 35 days after planting mini tubers. The second inspection is made in 60 to 65 days after planting the tuber. The third inspection should be made immediately after haulms cutting. Haulm means stalks or stems. The fourth inspection is made after ten days of haulms cutting.

Labelling

The seed tubers are supplied in sealed containers. The label of the container should hold information such as class of seed, producing agency (name, address, phone and email), lot number, variety and approving authority signature and stamp.

Benefits

The rules will help to make Punjab a standard potato seed centre. It will help to achieve agricultural diversification. It will increase the potato acreage to 4 lakh metric tonnes from one lakh hectare. Also, it will lead to the development of Jalandhar-Kapurthala belt as an export hub of potatoes.

What are seed potatoes?

Seed potatoes are those potatoes that are grown for replanting purposes. That is, a potato is grown till it produces buds. Say five buds are produced. Now each of these five buds is transferred to produce five different potato plants.