Published on 7 May 2025

Plant breeding, varieties and seed

Seed and plant propagating material are the starting point for agricultural production. The Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) works with Agroscope to provide the varieties, seed and plant propagating material required for sustainable Swiss agriculture.

Sowing seed. — © Fotolia

The FOAG's mandate

The FOAG is responsible for ensuring a high-quality range of varieties, seed and plant propagating material for Swiss agriculture. To this end, it issues ordinances regulating the production and marketing of seed and plant propagating material. The catalogues of varieties contain the authorised varieties for arable crops, forage plants and vegetables. Grapevine and fruit varieties are registered in variety lists. The FOAG Variety Ordinance contains the variety catalogues and variety lists. The FOAG also promotes the breeding of crop varieties and runs the Office for Plant Variety Protection.

At a glance

Seed – or, more broadly, plant propagating material – is officially regulated and requires certification for commercial use in agriculture. It must meet requirements for variety identity, seed quality and plant health before it can be placed on the market. An official label certifies that the seed is approved.

Variety identity

A plant variety has a characteristic performance and trait profile and is genetically stable. It can be described and distinguished from other plant varieties on the basis of its outward appearance. Plant varieties each have a unique name, also called a variety denomination, by which they are known to farmers, processors and sometimes also consumers. There are several stages involved in propagating and marketing a new variety of seed or plant propagating material. Variety characteristics and isolation distances to neighbouring crops are monitored in seed crops.

Seed quality

Arable and forage plant seed must germinate reliably and be of high varietal purity. In the Agroscope laboratory, every seed sample from a seed crop is tested according to international standards.

Plant health

Plant propagating material, and the seed of some plant species, can transmit plant diseases and pests. Seed crops are monitored for the occurrence of particularly dangerous harmful organisms: viral, bacterial and fungal diseases that may not be present or only up to a threshold value. The phytosanitary requirements for plant propagating material are set out in the Plant Health Ordinance.

• Publication varieties, seed and plant propagating material in Switzerland

  (only in German, French and Italian)

  PDF4.33 MB30 April 2025

Plant breeding and variety protection

Many years of breeding work go into creating plant varieties and seeds to support sustainability in the Swiss agriculture and food industry. Variety protection grants breeders intellectual property rights to new varieties, which generates income for new investments – but this would remain insufficient without an overall concept for the value chain. The 2050 Plant Breeding Strategy identifies areas with the potential or need for further development, as well as support measures.

Certification of seed and plant propagating material

Seed and plant propagating material must be certified before it can be placed on the market. The Federal Service for Seed and Plant Propagating Material is the certification body for the FOAG and Agroscope.

Details on the authorisation procedure can be found on the Certification of seed and plant propagating material web page.

Variety registration and niche varieties

The characteristics and utility of crop varieties are tested, described and recorded in the national plant varieties catalogue. This is an authorisation process that ensures that the best varieties reach the market.

The FOAG may separately authorise the marketing of niche variety seeds and plant propagating material for the conservation and preservation of plant genetic resources.

Further information can be found on the Variety registration and niche varieties web page.

International seed trade

Seed of a particular plant variety is always produced and marketed across national borders, and must therefore meet international standards. Information on standards in the international trade in seed and plant propagating material can be found on the International trade in seed and plant propagating material web page.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the national variety catalogue?

  There are variety catalogues and lists for most major agricultural crops. National variety lists are available for fruit species and vines. These lists are very important for agriculture as the criteria for registering plant varieties ensure transparency in the variety market and cultivation trials promote fairness and progress.

• What are the requirements for plant varieties to be included in the Swiss national variety catalogue?

  The plant varieties must have clearly defined characteristics that make them distinct from other varieties. This means that crops that grow and mature uniformly can be produced in the field, which is important for fertilising, plant protection measures and harvesting, as well as for marketing the harvested products.

  For this purpose, a two-year technical test is conducted to record the characteristics of new varieties and to examine breeding progress in the case of arable and forage plant species. The plant varieties being tested must deliver higher yields and quality than existing varieties. They should also be more robust.

  Robust plants are less susceptible to harmful organisms. They are able to withstand extreme weather conditions and require little mineral fertiliser. The need for plant protection measures (pesticides etc.) should be kept to a minimum.

• Why must seed be officially certified?

  Seeds require official certification to ensure high quality standards for varietal purity, germination and health. This ensures that genetically stable and efficient varieties are in circulation, which in turn means that farmers have secure yields. The certification process also ensures traceability, protecting consumers and helping to prevent illegal trade in unauthorised varieties.

• What is the purpose of plant breeding and plant variety protection?

  Plant breeding develops new varieties with better characteristics, such as higher yields or improved resistance, with the aim of increasing productivity and sustainability. Plant variety protection safeguards the intellectual property of breeders and promotes investment and innovation.

Further information

The FOAG provides a reduced English-language version of its website that does not include all further information such as documents, legislation or links. These can be found on the pages in the three official languages (German, French and Italian).

• Links

  OECD Seed Schemes

  ESCAA European Seed Certification Agencies Association

• Legislation

  Federal Act on Agriculture
  Agriculture Act, AgricA of 29 April 1998

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