ISMA and ICAR-ISRI Sign MoU for Sugarcane Seed Centre

The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) and the ICAR-Indian Sugarcane Research Institute (ICAR-ISRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 13 August 2026 to set up an Advanced Centre for Quality Sugarcane Seed Production. The centre will come up at the ICAR-ISRI campus in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and will serve sugar mills in the subtropical region.

ISMA and ICAR-ISRI

ISMA is an industry body representing sugar and bio-energy manufacturers in India. ICAR-ISRI is a research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and works on sugarcane science, breeding, and crop improvement.

Project Cost and Location

The project involves a total investment of ₹80 crore. ISMA and ICAR-ISRI will share the cost equally, with ₹40 crore contributed by each partner. The facility will be established in Lucknow, which is a major agricultural and research centre in Uttar Pradesh.

Seed Production and Facility Features

The centre will focus on producing disease-free, genetically pure, and high-yielding sugarcane seed material. It will include facilities for nursery raising, disease indexing, hardening, multiplication, storage, and seed distribution. The project also includes digital traceability and quality monitoring systems for seed verification.

Important Facts for Exams

• Sugarcane is a major commercial crop in India and is used for sugar, jaggery, molasses, and bio-energy applications.
• Seed cane quality affects germination, disease spread, and crop productivity in sugarcane cultivation.
• Disease indexing is a laboratory and field method used to detect plant pathogens in seed material.
• Digital traceability systems are used in agriculture to track the origin, movement, and quality of farm inputs.

Related Institutional Context

The Lucknow project is separate from the proposed ₹87.94 crore Centre of Excellence at the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Sugarcane breeding institutes in India work on varietal development, pest resistance, and yield improvement.