TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION; 1.1 Biotechnology - Society, Risks, and Ethics; 1.2 Evolution of Agricultural Biotechnology; 1.3 Research Objective; 1.4 Methodology; 1.5 Limitations of the Paper; 1.6 Hypothesis; I .7 Research Questions; 1.8 Chapterisation; 2. SIGNIFICANCE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION IN AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY; 2.1 General Introduction; 2.2 Significance of IPR Protection in Agricultural Biotechnology; 2.3 IPR Protection Available; 2.4 Issues Related to the Legal Protection of Biotechnology Products; 2.4 Other Issues Involved; 2.5 Conclusion; 3. ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS IN RECOGNIZING PLANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS; 3.1 General Introduction; 3.2 Paris Convention for Protection of Industrial Property; 3.3 Patent Cooperation Treaty; 3.4 International Convention (Union) For the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV); 3.4.1 UPOV and Small Farmers; 3.4.2 UPOV 1978; Conditions Required for Protection; Research Exemption; Double Protection; 3.4.3 UPOV Act of 1991; Conditions for grant of PBR; 3.4.4 UPOV and India; 3.5 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) - Global System for the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture; 3.6 Convention on Biodiversity (CBD); 3 .7 Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs); 3.7.1 Patentable Subject Matter; 3.7.2 The Developed Countries vs. The Developing - Issues Involved; 3.7.3 Conclusion for TRIPs; 4. CURRENT IPR REGIME IN PLANT PROTECTION; 4.1 Evolution of Plant Innovation; 4.2 The Patent Regime; 4.3 Plant Variety Rights; 4.A. PLANT .P-.R OTECTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 4A.l Brief History of Plant Protection in USA; 4A.2 Evolution of Agricultural Biotechnology in USA; 4A.3 Various Forms of IPR Protection for Plant Innovations; (i)Patent Regime Issues Involved; a. Products of nature; b. Patentable Subject Matter; c. Criteria of Plant Patentability; d. Disclosure Issues as Applied to Biotechnology Inventions; e. Development of Current US Practice; (ii) Protection of Plant Varieties in USA; a. Criteria; b. Exceptions; c. The Emergence of Sui Generis Systems for Plant Variety Protection; d. Conclusion; 4B PLANT PROTECTION IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY; 4B.l Introduction; 4B.2 Existing regimes; 4B.3 Experimental Use and the Research Exemption; 4B.4 The Scope of Plant Patents; 4B.5 Plant Variety Protection in the European Community; 4B.6 The Directive; 4B.7 Exhaustion of Rights; 4B.8 Contemporary Trend; 4B.9 Conclusion; 4C PLANT PROTECTION IN INDIA - IT'S SUI GENERIS SYSTEM ON PLANT VARIETIES; 4C.1 Introduction; 4C.2 Sui Generis System in the International Sphere; 4C.3 Emergence of the Indian Sui Generis System on Plant; 4C.4 Plant Variety Protection in India; a. PBRs under the PPVFR Act; b. Farmers' Rights; c. Researcher's Rights; d. Central Government and State Government Rights; e. Protection of the Publics' Interest; 4C.S Conclusion; 4D. OTHER SUI GENERIS SYSTEMS; 4D.I Introduction; 4D.2 Sui Generis System Based On Trade Marks; a.Practical Usages of Trademarks as Protection; 4D.3 Sui Generis Systems Based On Geographic Indications; 4E. ALTERNATIVE MODE OF IPR PROTECTION; 4E.l Trade Secret Protection; a.Trade secret protection in United States; b.b .Maintaining Trade Secrets: Reasonable Precautions; 5. PROTECTION THROUGH PARTNERING- THE NON IPR REGIME; 5.1 Hybrid Technology: Engineered Protection; 5.2 Purchase Agreements; 5.3 Label Notices; 5.4 Biopartnerships; a. The Beneficiaries and the Benefits of Biopartnerships; b. Melting Pot of Knowledge and Progress, or Opening of Pandora's Box? 5.5 Access Contracts; 5.6 Material Transfer Agreements Or Plant Prospecting Agreements; 6 LAW GOVERNING SEEDS IN INDIA; 6.1 Creation and the Evolution of the Seed Industry; 6.2 Intellectual Property Protection; 6.3 IPR Protection of Seeds in the United States of America; 6.4 An Overview of the Seed Industry in India a. Farmers Rights; b. Use of the Terminator Technology to Enforce Intellectual Property Protections For Genetically Engineered Seeds; c. Indian Seed Industry; 6.5 Legislative Framework Governing Seeds Industry in India; a. The Seeds Act, 1966; b. The Seeds Rules, 1968; c. The Seeds (Control) Order 1983; d. The New Seed Policy; e. New Seed Legislation, 2002; f. The Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914 and the Plants, Fruits and Seeds (Regulation of Import in India) Order 1989; 6.6 Conclusion; CONCLUSION, OBSERVATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 7.1 Agricultural Biotechnology: Its Achievements, Its Promise; 7.2 Potential Risks of Agricultural Biotechnology; 7.3 Observations and Inference; a. Venn Diagram Displaying the Power Dynamics within the Various Groups of Stakeholders; 7.4 Suggestions; ANNEXURE I; ANNEXURE II; ANNEXURE III; ANNEXURE IV; BIBLIOGRAPHY