Seed sales equals better mungbean varieties

THE DEVELOPMENT AND release of Jade-AU and Crystal revolutionised the Australian mungbean industry, bringing huge improvements in yield for growers wanting to access the often-lucrative shiny green mungbean market. This achievement resulted from years of planning and careful breeding and was financially supported by government, industry and growers. To help fund this important plant breeding program, the price of mungbean seed includes a seed royalty. The Australian Mungbean Association collects and administers makes DAF mungbean Association Australian to support an annual breeding president, these Mungbean the payment royalties ongoing work. Mark to and Schmidt was the industry a vital said mechanism to the fund seed the royalty for development “All available mungbean of new varieties. varieties are protected by Plant Breeders Rights, or PBR, which means that you can retain your own seed for planting but it is illegal to give, swap or buy seed from anyone other than a seed reseller who collects and passes on the seed royalty,” he said. “As the commercial partner with a vested interest in the success of the Australian mungbean industry, the AMA commenced a seed production scheme in 2005 to reduce the occurrence of the various diseases and give the industry confidence in the integrity of the seed supply,” said Mr Schmidt. “The seed production crops are inspected by an independent third party for halo blight and tan spot, along with various other weed and disease contaminants. The AMA recommends that mungbean producers replenish their seed lines at least every three years.” Each seed lot is fully traceable back to the paddock of production and records are kept of the crop history and all inspections, allowing the AMA to monitor the seed scheme and in particular any re-occurrence of halo blight. Seed produced in the AMA seed production scheme is sold in distinctively printed bags with the appropriate trade mark or PBR logo. Purchasing AMAApproved seed provides the best possible assurance of the quality and purity of the seed.

AMA president Mark Schmidt recommends that mungbean producers replenish their seed lines at least every three years with AMA-Approved seed, sold in these distinctively-branded bags.