Higher-yielding seeds (HYV) refer to those that produce large quantities of crops, including rice and wheat. Regular water supply, the highest use of fertilisers, and the application of pesticides with a precise proportion are essential to using these seeds. Finance to purchase fertilisers and pesticides and construct farmers require the necessary irrigation facilities to reap the maximum benefits of the seeds HYV. The most significant High yield variety seeds can be found in wheat, corn and soybeans, potatoes, rice and cotton. They are extensively used in commercial and plantation farms. High yield variety seeds were popularised in the 1960s and played an essential part during the Green Revolution. However, their roots could be more ancient.

Role and Adverse Effects of using High Yielding Varieties of Seeds

Producing enhanced seeds and exceptionally high yielding variety seeds was promoted by the Centre and the state governments and by registered seed farmers. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, G.B. Pant Agricultural University at Pantnagar. And a host of different research centres was involved in developing new hybrid high yield variety seeds suitable for Indian conditions and adapting imported varieties that meet Indian specifications. In certain areas within the state, Mexican kinds of wheat such as Lerma Rojo 64-A and Sonara 64were immediately introduced during the first phase; significant attention was paid later to the hybridisation of Mexican varieties in conjunction with Indian varieties. The introduction of these high yield seed wheat varieties is contingent on the availability of fertilisers, sufficient water supplies, and insecticides and pesticides. So, they must be introduced as part of a “Package Programme”. Due to their dependence on irrigation systems, these programs can be implemented only in regions with adequate irrigation infrastructure. Indian seed programmes include Central and State governments, ICAR, State Agriculture Universities, the public sector, the cooperative sector, and the private sector.

The Adverse Effects of the using high yielding varieties of Seeds include:

  • The water loss from Hyv seeds requires a significant amount of water to ensure a good yield.
  •  Health Issues- High yield variety seeds require a significant amount of chemicals and pesticides to grow, which increases the risk of developing health issues.
  • Poor quality product- High yield variety seeds produce less fodder than regular seeds.
  • Having seeds is a source of pollution. Need many pesticides which can cause the risk of pollution.
  • Costly- Many farmers cannot purchase as Hyv seeds are costly.

Advantages of High Yielding Variety Seeds

The Advantages of High Yielding Variety Seeds over the traditional varieties of Seeds are:

  • The High Yielding Variety (HYV) has a shorter life cycle and thus allows farmers to choose to do multiple crops. For instance, new seeds of wheat and rice finish their life cycles in just 110 and 120 days, respectively. However, traditional varieties of wheat and rice require about 130 or 150 days, respectively, to harvest. New seeds, therefore, allow farmers to save money on the land.
  •  The High Yielding Variety (HYV) requires water to ensure greater yields. The amount of yield per square metre is exceptionally high. When it is viewed as a percentage of the amount of water needed per quintal of rice or wheat, The new seeds need less water than traditional varieties. HYV consequently saves water since the crops are growing for less time.
  • (HYV) Underlined ideal conditions will require more labour per square metre to create more jobs. Before the advent of HYV farming, farmers across large areas in the nation, particularly in rainfed areas, depended on the monsoon’s arrival to begin their farming activities. They were without work during the summer (May through June) following the harvest of Rabi crops. Now, farmers and the labourers who depend on them find work in different farming operations all through the year.
  •  The HYV are scale-neutral, meaning that other aspects remain the same. The big and small farmers will benefit from the production and profit in the same amount. Also, these seeds aren’t specifically geared toward large or small farmers.
  • The acceptance of HYV doesn’t require any particular skill, and farmers from various social and cultural backgrounds can readily adopt the seeds. An adjustment to the dates for sowing wheat is needed since the HYV requires relatively cool temperatures during sowing. In the case of Punjab and Haryana, the dates for sowing wheat before the Green Revolution were in the third or the last week of October when the daytime temperature was approximately 35 degrees Celsius. However, today wheat is usually sown in the Sutlej-Ganga plain before mid-November, when the daytime temperature is around 30 deg C. At the same time, the temperature at night is around 18 deg C.

Conclusion

High yielding varieties are less tolerant to pests in comparison to their progenitors. Every year, insects destroy approximately 25% of all crop species used for food globally. While a few high yielding cardamom types have been developed, combining yield with mosaic resistance hasn’t been achieved. The adoption rate of high yielding varieties gained an enormous leap between 1966 and 1976. In that time, the percentage of land sown to new varieties grew from 1percent to over 80 percent, with the highest seen in 1988. The high yield variety seeds developed by the classic breeders have been crucial in ensuring adequate food supply for the ever-growing global population.