The Public Notice (No. 11 of 2024) issued by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Authority on January 1, 2025, effective from the same date, introduces significant revisions to the plant variety registration process in India. These changes aim to improve the efficiency and transparency of the registration procedure, while also strengthening protections for plant breeders, researchers, and farmers.

 The key changes include:

• Dispensing of PVP Numbers: The previous practice of allotting PVP (Plant Variety Protection) numbers has been discontinued. Instead, REG numbers will now be assigned on the date of filing of the application for registration. The REG number will serve as a unique identifier for all purposes of reference throughout the registration process.
• Sequential Allotment of REG Numbers: REG numbers will be allocated in a sequential order, corresponding to the year of the application (e.g., REG/2025/1).
• Definition of Filing Date: The date of filing of an application has been defined as the date on which the complete application form, registration fees, and seeds for DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability) testing are received by the Authority. If the receipt of these three mandatory components occurs on different dates, the filing date will be considered as the last date on which all requirements are received in full.
• REG Number for Vegetatively Propagated Crops: In case of vegetatively propagated crops, the REG number will be allotted upon the receipt of the application form, registration fee, and an undertaking that the planting materials of the variety being applied for will be deposited with the concerned DUS test centre or the Field Gene Bank before the commencement of the upcoming DUS testing season. Failure to submit the planting material before the upcoming DUS testing season will lead to cancellation of the allotted REG number.  
• REG Number for Crops Notified for On-site DUS Testing: In case of crops notified for on-site DUS testing, the REG number will be allotted upon the receipt of the application form, registration fee, and an undertaking that at least three grafts/clones of the variety in the crop will be deposited with the concerned Field Gene Bank/DUS centre well before the commencement of on-site DUS testing. In case of farmers’ varieties, the PV-1 holder must provide the undertaking and ensure the deposit of grafts/clones on behalf of the farmers. Failure to deposit grafts/clones before the commencement of on-site DUS testing will result in the cancellation of the allotted REG number. 
• Allotment of REG Number for Imported Varieties: In case of imported varieties, the REG number will be allotted upon the receipt of the application form, registration fee, and a proof of submission of the imported planting material for Post Entry Quarantine Clearance. Failure to submit the clearance order will result in the cancellation of the REG number.

This notice supersedes the earlier Public Notices No. 2 of 2019 (Public Notice No. 2 of 2019), No. 7 of 2021 (Public Notice No. 7 of 2021), and No. 18 of 2021(Public Notice No. 18 of 2021).

These changes ensure that the process remains responsive to the evolving needs of plant breeders, researchers, and farmers. The full details of the revised registration process can be accessed here.