Crop Variety Registration and Intellectual Property Rights MCQs

1. What is the primary purpose of crop variety registration?
(A) To ensure the variety is free from pests and diseases
(B) To provide legal protection and recognition to the variety
(C) To guarantee the highest yield potential of the variety
(D) To ensure the variety is genetically modified

2. Which of the following international agreements governs the protection of new plant varieties?
(A) Paris Convention
(B) International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) Convention
(C) TRIPS Agreement
(D) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

3. In the context of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), what is the significance of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)?
(A) They allow breeders to prevent the use of a plant variety by others
(B) They grant breeders exclusive rights to all plant materials worldwide
(C) They allow farmers to freely exchange seeds
(D) They ensure the protection of genetic resources and biodiversity

4. Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a plant variety to be eligible for registration under the UPOV convention?
(A) Novelty
(B) Distinctness
(C) Uniformity
(D) Ability to grow in diverse environments

5. What does the term “distinctness” refer to in the context of crop variety registration?
(A) The variety must be genetically identical to existing varieties
(B) The variety must be easy to grow
(C) The variety must differ clearly from other existing varieties in at least one characteristic
(D) The variety must have a high yield potential

6. Which of the following is the primary basis for the granting of Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights under intellectual property laws?
(A) The variety’s commercial success in the market
(B) The variety’s ability to survive in extreme environmental conditions
(C) The variety’s novelty, distinctness, uniformity, and stability (NDUS criteria)
(D) The variety’s aesthetic value and popularity

7. What is the role of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in India regarding crop variety registration?
(A) To monitor the commercialization of plant varieties
(B) To ensure that genetic resources are shared fairly with the country of origin
(C) To provide patents for new plant varieties
(D) To regulate the testing of genetically modified varieties

8. Which of the following best describes the concept of “farmer’s rights” in the context of crop variety protection?
(A) Farmers are prohibited from using protected plant varieties
(B) Farmers have the right to save, use, exchange, and sell farm-saved seeds
(C) Farmers are granted exclusive rights to develop new plant varieties
(D) Farmers are only allowed to use varieties developed by commercial breeders

9. In India, which act governs the protection of plant varieties and farmers’ rights?
(A) The Patents Act, 1970
(B) The Seeds Act, 1966
(C) The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001
(D) The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

10. What is the duration of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) for most agricultural crops under UPOV guidelines?
(A) 10 years
(B) 15 years
(C) 20 years
(D) 25 years

11. Which of the following is true regarding the “novelty” requirement for crop variety registration?
(A) The variety must have been commercially available for more than five years
(B) The variety must not have been previously sold or used for commercial purposes
(C) The variety must have been developed in a laboratory setting only
(D) The variety must be genetically modified

12. In the context of Intellectual Property Rights, what is the difference between a patent and Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)?
(A) A patent grants exclusive rights over a plant variety, while PBR grants rights over inventions
(B) A patent is granted for new inventions, whereas PBR is for new plant varieties that meet specific criteria
(C) A patent is granted for an indefinite period, while PBR is granted for a limited period
(D) A patent allows for the use of genetic resources, while PBR restricts it

13. Which of the following is a key challenge in the registration of new crop varieties under IPR frameworks?
(A) Determining the environmental impact of the new variety
(B) Meeting the distinctness, uniformity, and stability (NDUS) criteria
(C) Ensuring the variety is compatible with genetic modification
(D) Limiting the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

14. Which of the following statements is true regarding the impact of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on small-scale farmers in developing countries?
(A) IPR enhances the access of small-scale farmers to improved seeds without restrictions
(B) IPR may limit small-scale farmers’ ability to save, exchange, or sell seeds of protected varieties
(C) IPR allows farmers unlimited access to genetic resources for breeding purposes
(D) IPR prevents farmers from participating in seed exchange programs

15. Which of the following is an example of a “farmer’s privilege” under Plant Breeders’ Rights?
(A) Farmers are allowed to develop new plant varieties from protected varieties
(B) Farmers can freely market any protected variety without permission
(C) Farmers can exchange seeds of protected varieties without restrictions
(D) Farmers can save seeds of protected varieties for their own use