Plant varieties: Characteristics, Requirement and Importance

Introduction

“A population of plants that differ consistently from the typical form of the species, occurring naturally in a geographical area is called plant variety”. In botanical taxonomy, variety is a taxon rank below the species.

Variety gets a ternary name that means the name has three parts. This term is incorrectly applied to the forms produced in cultivation which are basically called cultivars. A variety is indicated by a third Latin word which is sometimes set off by the roman abbreviation “var”.

Many plants that were considered varieties are garden plants and are now termed cultivars.

Farmers and growers need plants that are adapted to the environment in which they are grown. They are suited to the cultivation practices. Therefore, farmers and growers use a more precisely defined group of plants, selected from within species.

UPOV Convention’s definition of Plant Variety

It states that:

“Plant grouping within the single botanical taxon of the lowest known rank”.

A plant variety is a legal term following the UPOV Convention. Identification of a cultivated plant as a variety provides its grower or breeder with some legal protection. It is called plant breeder’s rights, depending to some extent on internal legislation of signatory country.

 

Establishment and Release of plant varieties

New varieties are developed by some grower or breeder. The breeder has copyright or intellectual property right over new variety.

Characteristics of new variety

According to UPOV, a new variety has the following characteristics.

1. It is a plant within the lowest rank of the taxon.
2. It is defined by the expression of the characteristics resulting from a given genotype or combination of genotypes.
3. It is distinguished from others by at least one of the said characters.
4. It is considered as a unit with regards to its suitability for being propagated unchanged.

Breeder

According to the UPOV, a breeder is a person who bred or discovered or developed a variety. Or the person who is the employer of the aforementioned person or who has commissioned the latter’s work.

The breeder, a natural or legal person, might be a plant man, a farmer, a company or a scientist. The plant breeding techniques can range from “crossing and selection”, through modern procedures such as genetic engineering.

Requirement for the plant as a new variety

Protection of or copyright protection shall be granted to variety if:

• Novelty:

A variety must not have been sold, or otherwise disposed of in the territory of the member of the union concerned more than one year prior to the application for a breeder’s right. This is called the novelty period.

• Stability:

A variety should be stable if its relevant characteristics remain unchanged after repeated propagation.

• Distinctness:

It should be distinct. And it should be clearly distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is a matter of knowledge at that time.

• Uniformity:

A variety should be uniform if it is subjected to the variation that may be expected from particular features of its propagation. It should be sufficiently uniform in its relevant characteristics.

Importance of New Plant Varieties

1. New varieties have improved yields and high quality.
2. Increased productivity in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.
3. Better resistance to pests and diseases.
4. Increases the value and marketability of crops.
5. Breeding programs for ornamental plants can be of substantial economic importance for an exporting country.
6. New varieties are an important factor in increasing rural income.
7. Breeding programs for endangered species can remove the threat of extinction from these species.