The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, has appointed Kannan C.S. Warrier, director, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi, as the chairperson of the task force committee to develop DUS testing guidelines for ‘Kumizh’ tree.
This mandatory test is carried out before granting intellectual property protection to a new plant variety. Intellectual property protection is based on three main criteria: distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) of each variety. The new plant variety should be clearly distinguishable from any other existing variety. There should be a noticeable difference in at least one of the following: leaf shape, flower colour or plant height. All plants of that variety should be identical in their main characteristics. The basic characteristics of this plant variety should not change even after continuous cultivation. Its qualities should remain constant even when propagated through seeds or cuttings to the next generation. This is the scientific basis for granting plant breeders’ rights to those who develop plant varieties.
Fast-growing and high-yielding Kumizh trees are widely used for industrial purposes. Such legal standards are necessary to ensure the quality of this tree, which is included in the ‘Dasamoola’ of Ayurveda and has high industrial value. When testing-certified clones or varieties reach the market, fake varieties will be prevented, and farmers will be assured of better profits.
In addition, this will help farmers access good-quality, reliable planting material. This guideline will also help select the best varieties for various afforestation projects, according to KFRI sources.
Dr. Warrier, who gained national attention for developing three clones of Casuarina (Katadi), suitable for sodic soils, has received the National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry, the Rolla S. Rao National Award for Best Researcher in Biodiversity conservation for his comprehensive study of sacred groves (Kavu), and the world-renowned science publisher Springer Nature’s Editor of Distinction Global Award. He has also secured a patent with his colleagues for developing a technology to determine the yield of forest plantations using digital images.
