Jharkhand agri research institutions develop 16 high yielding varieties of crops

State Variety Release Committee (SVRC) of Jharkhand has released 16 improved varieties of nine crops developed by different agricultural research institutions for Jharkhand, of which four have been developed by scientists of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) after years of experimentation, following different breeding techniques and protocols.

The newly-released varieties include seven of rice, two of chilli and one each of tomato, litchi, bael, linseed, soyabean, field pea and brinjal. These high-yielding, early-maturing, varieties suitable for drought-prone, dryland ecology of Jharkhand are resistant to major diseases and pests.

Birsa Agriculture University Jharkhand, director of research, A Wadood informed that the release proposal was okayed at a meeting of SVRC held at the department of Agriculture under the chairmanship of agriculture secretary Aboobacker Siddique P on March 24.

Others who attended the meeting included BAU vice-chancellor Dr Onkar Nath Singh, director agriculture Nisha Oraon, head FSRCHPR Plandu, Arun Kumar Singh and director Sameti, Subhash Singh and breeders of the varieties.

The linseed variety Birsa Tisi-2 developed by BAU chief scientist, Sohan Ram, has yield potential of 19.7 quintal per hectare, contains 36.75% oil, matures in 128-30 days showing 10.46% superiority over national check T-397.

The soybean variety Birsa Soybean-4 developed by Nutan Verma of BAU has yield potential of 28 q/ha and matures in 110 days. Its yellow colour seed with brown hilum contains 40.30% protein and 17.55% oil.

The field pea variety Birsa Matar-1, developed by CS Mahato, is a dwarf-type plant of medium maturity group having yield potential of 13-15 q/ha and matures in 112-116 days.

The high yielding brinjal variety Birsa Chianki Baigan-3, developed by Abdul Majid Ansari at Zonal Research Station, Chianki, Palamu, has yield potential of 350-400 q/ha and comes under medium maturity group.