Department of Vegetable Science

College of Horticulture
Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and
Forestry, Solan
Plant Quarantine and Quality Control

Presented By Presented to
Vinay Dr DK Mehta
(Master’s Student) (Principal Scientist)
Plant Quarantine
 Quarantine has been defined as ‘a restriction,
imposed by duly constituted authorities, on the
production and movement of plants and plant
products, in order to limit the spread of a new
or an established pest’.
 It is also referred to as a technique for ensuring
disease-free plants, whereby a plant is isolated
while tests are performed to detect the
presence of the problem.
History of Plant Quarantine in India
The awareness to quarantine measures in India started in
early 20th century when the Indian Government in
1906 ordered compulsory fumigation of imported
cotton bales to prevent introduction of Mexican cotton
boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis).
1914 – Destructive Insects and Pests (DIP) Act
1946 – Plant Quarantine processing of exotic
germplasm initiated at the then Imperial Agricultural
Research Institute for Plant Introduction Scheme.
1956 – Plant Quarantine Units in the Division of
Entomology and Plant Pathology established at IARI,
New Delhi.
1961- Plant Introduction Division established
in IARI
1967 - Division of Nematology established at
IARI, which housed Nematology unit of plant
quarantine.
1976 – NBPGR established.
1981 – Post-entry quarantine of imported
(chemically treated) wheat, barley and triticale
started in isolation nursery.
1983 – Post-entry quarantine for detection of
seed transmitted viruses in exotic legumes
started.
1984 –Plants, Fruits and Seeds (PFS)
(Regulation of Import into India) Order
issued under DIP Act.
1988 – New Policy on Seed
Development (NPSD) announced, resulting
in increased import of seed material.
1989 – PFS Order (1984) revised to meet the
requirements of NPSD and increasing
imports.
2003 – Plant Quarantine (Regulation of
Import into India) Order.
Why Quarantine is needed?
In past several pests introduced through seed material
and become wide spread.
Some examples are golden nematode and wart disease
of potato from Europe, downy mildew on sunflower
from Australia, apple scab from Europe, bacterial blight
of Paddy from East Asia and tomato pinworm (Tuta
absoluta) (2014) from South America.
Therefore, while importing seeds and Planting
materials, it needs to be ensured that there is absolutely
no compromise with the quality and also there is no
entry of any pests and diseases.
Also, Quarantine aims at restricting human interference
leading to spread of pests.
The primary objectives of Plant
Quarantine are
 To prevent the introduction and spread of exotic
pests that are destructive to crops by
regulating/restricting the import of plants/plant
products.
 To facilitate safe global trade in agriculture by
assisting the producers and exporters by
providing a technically competent and reliable
phytosanitary certificate system to meet the
requirements of trading partners.
Exotic pests can cause huge losses to our
crop wealth
Some Pests and Diseases introduced in India
from other countries
Great Irish Famine
 16 Century - Potato introduced as
garden crop
 Late 17 century – Supplementary
food
 Early 18 Century – Staple food
 1843-44 New disease noticed
 1845 Complete failure of crop due to
Late blight of potato (Phytophthora
infestans)
Impact (1845-1854)
 Lead to Great Famine
 Death of 1 million due to starvation
 1 million migrated
Agencies involved in Plant
Quarantine
 Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and
Storage, Faridabad
 National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
(NBPGR), New Delhi
 Crop specific Research Institutes of Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
 Head of Plant Pathology Division of State
Agricultural Universities (SAU)
 State Agricultural and Horticultural
Departments
Plant Quarantine Setup In India
 In India Plant Quarantine regulatory measures are operative
through the ‘Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914’.
 The purpose and intent of this Act is to prevent the
introduction of any insect, fungus or other pest, which is or
may be destructive to crops.
 The import of agricultural commodities is presently
regulated through the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of
Import into India) Order, 2003 issued under DIP Act, 1914
incorporating the provisions of New Policy on Seed
Development, 1988.
 The phytosanitary certification of agricultural commodities
being exported is also undertaken through the scheme as
per International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC),
1951.
Activities under the scheme
Inspection of imported agricultural
commodities.
Inspection of agricultural commodities meant
for export.
Detection of exotic pests and diseases already
introduced.
Undertaking Post Entry Quarantine Inspection
in respect of identified planting materials.
Conducting the Pest Risk Analysis.
Post Entry Quarantine
Growing of plants in isolation for any specified
period in a glass-house and a facility, area of
nursery, approved by the Plant Protection Adviser.
Purpose
To prevent the introduction and spread of
destructive pests that affects plants and other
plant material.
Examine the container and the seeds for
pesticide residue.
Pest Risk Analysis
Pest risk analysis (PRA) is a process which helps
to assess the risks of entry, establishment and
spread potential of exotic pests.
PRA helps to identify the options to prevent the
entry and management options in the event of
pest establishment.
The international standards brought out by IPPC
serve as guidance for carrying out PRA
Present Setup
Presently, there are 35 Plant quarantine Stations at
different International Airports, Seaports and Land
frontiers implementing the Plant Quarantine regulations
with its headquarters at Faridabad.
Categorization based on the current PQ activities:
Category I Stations:
Agartala, Guwahati, Raxaul, Sanauli, Banbasa, Rupaidiha,
Jogbani, Attari-Wagah Border- Railway Station (working
unit under RPQS Amritsar), Amritsar Railway Station
(working unit under RPQS Amritsar), ICD Tughlakabad
(working unit under RPQS Delhi), Air Cargo, Delhi
Airport (working unit under RPQS Delhi), Calicut Airport
Category II Stations:
Panitanki, Kalimpong, Trivandrum, Tiruchirapalli,
Bhavnagar, Hyderabad, Attari-Wagah Border- LCS
(working unit under RPQS Amritsar), Air Cargo,
Mumbai (working unit under RPQS Mumbai), Air
Cargo, Kolkata (working unit under RPQS Kolkata)
Category III Stations:
Kandla, Vishakhapatnam, Tuticorin, Cochin,
Kakinada, Nava Sheva, Mangalore, Bongaon
Category IV Stations:
New Delhi, Amritsar, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai,
Bangalore
Plant quarantine regulates the
introductions as follows:
1. Complete prohibition: When the pest risk is very
high, the safeguards available in the country are not
adequate and, therefore, import is prohibited.
2. Post-entry quarantine: The risk is very high but
adequate safeguards in the form of post-entry isolation
growing facilities are available.
3. Restricted: Pest risk is not high and import permit is
required stipulating conditions for entry, inspection and
treatment.
4. Unrestricted: Import permit is not required, and
material may enter without restriction.
Main features of the existing plant
quarantine regulations in India
No consignment of seeds/planting materials shall be
imported into India without a valid 'Import Permit‘ and
'Phytosanitary Certificate‘ which are to be issued by a
competent authority.
All consignments of plants and seeds for
sowing/propagation/ planting purposes shall be imported
into India through notified entry points.
Hay, straw or any other materials of plant origin shall
not be used as packing material.
Import of soil, earth, sand, compost, and plant debris
accompanying seeds/planting materials shall not be
permitted.
Importing process
Application for
Import plant
inspection
Issue of
Free from plant
Import Inspection
quarantine quarantine
inspection passed
pests certificate

Quarantine Entry Disinfestatio

pests refused n
detected
Destruction

Reshipment
Exporting process
Application for
Export plant
inspection
Conformity
with the Issue of plant
Export requirements Inspection Phytosanitary
inspection and of import passed certificate
sterilization country
subject to the
Non- Export
requirements of
Conformity refused
import country.
Export with the
inspection, field requirements
inspection, lab of import
test for detecting country
virus,
Confirmation of
sterilization
Guidelines for Import of Germplasm
Import from a country where the
pathogen’s are absent.
Import from a country with an efficient
plant quarantine service, so that
inspection and treatment is done.
Obtain Planting material from the safest
known source within the selected
country.
Obtain non-treated seeds so that detection
of seed borne pathogens is facilitated.
Obtain an official certificate of freedom
from pests and diseases from the exporting
country.
Import the smallest possible amount of
planting material; the smaller the amount,
the less the chance of its carrying infection.
Inspect material carefully on arrival and
treat.
If other precautions are not adequate,
subject the material to intermediate or post
entry quarantine.
Salvage infected seeds.
Phytosanitary
Certification
Seed Quality Control
It is a systematic and planned process
designed to ensure the genetic,
physical, and physiological integrity of
the seed delivered to farmers.
It includes field inspections, laboratory
testing, audits of production records,
and onsite evaluation of conditioning
and treatment facilities.
Regulatory mechanism of Seed
Quality Control
Regulation means controlling the social
behavior by rules or order issued by a
regulatory agency of a government and
having the force of law.
Regulation Mechanism means the methods
or techniques that will be used to ensure that
policy principles are applied and action is
taken to reach specified objectives.
Organizations Involved in Seed Quality Control
ISTA: International Seed Testing Association
AOSA: Association of Official Seed Analyst
AOSCA: Association of Official Seed Certifying
Agencies
SCST: The Society of Commercial Seed Technologists
NSC: National Seeds Corporation
SSC: State Seed Corporation
CSCB: Central Seed Certification Board
SSCA: State Seed Certification Agency
ICAR: Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Central Institutes for Crop Improvement
Agricultural Universities
Seed Legislation
Seed Legislation means Acts and Laws
for controlling seed quality.
Basic purpose behind seed legislation
and its enforcement is to regulate the
quality of seed sold to the farmers.
In India the seed legislation started with
the enactment of The Seed Act, 1966.
Seed Legislation in India
 The Seeds Act, (1966) Amendment during the
year 1972
 The Seed Rules, (1968) Amendment during the
years 1973, 1974 & 1981
 The Seeds (Control) Order, (1983)
 New Policy on Seed Development, (1988)
 Plants, Fruits and Seeds ( Regulation of import
into India) Order, 2003
 The PPV & FR Act, (2001)
 National Seed Policy, (2002)
 The Seeds Bill, (2010)
Seed Law Enforcement
After a seeds act has become law, certain
authorities should be designated by and made
responsible to the Government for implementing
the seed law.
Necessary powers are given by the Government for
this purpose and these powers given to the Seed
Inspectors (Seed Quality Control Officers). Seed
inspectors are responsible for enforcing the seed
law.
References:
Anonymous. 2017. Plant Quarantine.
http://ppqs.gov.in/divisions/plant-quarantine.[ 13 April
2019].
Anonymous. 2015. Plant Quarantine.
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/export_import/imp_exp_pla
nt_quar.html.[ 13 April 2019].
Thank you for your attention