The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has added eight more plant varieties to its list of crop species eligible for registration. This notification was issued on March 22, 2024.
It may be recalled that the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 empowers the Central Government to specify the genera or species for the purposes of registration of varieties under the Act.
Therefore by notification dated May 12, 2017, the Central government had notified a table specifying crop species for the purposes of registration of varieties. Now, by the present notification the government has introduced additional species to this table. These species are as follows:
| Serial Number | Crop species eligible for registration | Common name in English |
| 1 | Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) | Kokum |
| 2 | Lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) | Lemon |
| 3 | Pummelo (Citrus maxima (J. Burm.) Merr.) | Pummelo |
| 4 | Lilium (Lilium sp., Oriental, Asiatic, LA Hybrids and OT Hybrids) | Lilium |
| 5 | Jasmine (Jasminum spp.) | Jasmine |
| 6 | Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) | Ashwagandha |
| 7 | Olive (Olea europaea L.) | Olive |
| 8 | Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum) | Anthurium |
An application for registration can be made by –
(a) any person claiming to be the breeder of the variety; or
(b) any successor of the breeder of the variety; or
(c) any person being the assignee of the breeder of the variety in respect of the rights to make such application; or
(d) any farmers or group of farmers or community of farmers claiming to be the breeder of the variety; or
(e) any person authorized in the prescribed manner by a person specified under clauses (a) to (d) to make application on his behalf; or
(f) any university or publicly funded agricultural institution claiming to be the breeder of the variety.
