The Islamic Azad University's Alborz branch near Tehran has made hybrid seed production one of its main missions and has created a 10-hectare greenhouse in the Organic Agriculture Innovation Center, and at the same time, hybrid seeds of vegetables, various varieties of grain corn, sweet corn, and lettuce are being produced on a 6-hectare land in cooperation with faculty members and companies stationed at the innovation center.
Hybrid seeds are produced from the crossing of two genetically different parents and have superior characteristics compared to their parents. These seeds offer higher yield, greater resistance to diseases, pests, and adverse environmental conditions, uniformity in size and ripening time, and better quality in taste, color, and nutritional value.
However, the seeds from hybrid plants are not pure, and farmers have to buy new seeds every year to maintain the desired features. As improved seeds, these seeds play a key role in improving the yield and quality of agricultural products.
In a relevant development in February, a knowledge-based company in Iran had also taken an effective step in developing sustainable agriculture and increasing the productivity of greenhouse and crops by producing resistant and high-yielding hybrid seeds.
The company, which enjoys a team of experts in the fields of plant genetics, biotechnology, and plant diseases, has been able to produce seeds with high yield, desirable quality, resistance to diseases and pests, and adaptability to Iran's climatic conditions. The company's activities in improving and improving the seed breed of summer crops are an important step towards developing sustainable agriculture and increasing productivity in this field.
"Given the increasing demand for seeds in Iran, our company has adopted various measures over the years, including research projects to identify new and improved varieties, using advanced breeding techniques like double haploid, controlling seed quality, and recognizing market needs," said Maryam Golabadi, the chairman of the board of directors of the knowledge-based company.
"To improve seed quality, quality control tests are continuously conducted before being released to the market, and research on diverse seed coatings and sterilization is also being pursued. These measures are aimed at producing seeds with higher germination and free from any contamination," she added.
Source: Azad News Agency