Innovative Technologies for Quality Seed Production and Vegetative Multiplication in Forage Grasses

India is facing a shortage of green fodder, dry crop residues and concentrates. The increase in area under fodder crops seems difficult owing to competition from food crops. Hence, utilization of non-cultivable areas for pastures and introducing high biomass producing forages in cultivable lands appear as the viable option. However, the major constraint in revitalizing 85 m ha of denuded grasslands/forest wastelands is the availability of good quality seed and/or planting material. The present article describes the development of technologies for multiplication of seed and planting material in Bajra-Napier hybrid, Deenanath grass and Guinea grass. The in vitro ischolar_maining of stem cuttings and rapid multiplication of Bajra-Napier hybrid ischolar_mained slips using high-density stem cutting nursery were developed to reduce the time and space constraints for multiplication and transport of ischolar_mained slips. The innovative defluffing technique helps in extracting the caryopsis from the fluffy seed material of Deenanath grass and significantly reduces the volume. The naked seed so produced is good for pelleting and precise sowing. The in vitro maturation of panicles and application of indoleacetic acid during pre-anthesis stage in Guinea grass have resulted in increased seed set and germination respectively. All these innovative technologies are cost-effective, simple and can boost the grass seed and planting material production which otherwise is miniscule compared to the demand. These techniques are in way to solve the myriad problems of grass seed production and multiplication of planting material.