Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Lab set up to produce woolly aphid-resistant sugarcane

Staff Correspondent

Plans to produce 45 lakh seedlings by December The university plans to make available three self-propelled sprayers in Gulbarga to protect pigeon pea from pod borer

DHARWAD: The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, has set up a tissue culture laboratory to produce 45 lakh woolly aphid-resistant sugarcane seedlings by December and to cover about 1 lakh hectares of land with the variety by 2007.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, S.A. Patil, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the university has taken up "predator multiplication" on a large scale with the active participation of five sugar factories in the region to release natural enemies of the woolly aphid in 30,000 hectares which will result in the predators spreading over 2.5 lakh hectares.

The university has taken up the project in view of the heavy losses suffered by farmers growing sugarcane, Lingappa, Director of Research, UAS, said.

Dr. Patil said the university is expanding its seed production programme. As against 2,610 tonnes of seeds produced during the last season, it intends to double the production to 5,000 tonnes in the current season.

Sprayers

The university plans to make available three self-propelled sprayers in Gulbarga district on custom hire service to spray pesticide to protect pigeon pea from pod borer.

Realising the importance of organic farming, the university has made efforts to develop organic farming methods at 12 agricultural research stations. Plans are afoot to cover 20 more stations during 2006, which will act as centres of data generation and knowledge dissemination, Dr. Patil said.

Laboratory

Dr. Patil said a Rs. 3.6-crore project to set up an advanced pesticide and quality analysis laboratory with financial assistance from the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, and Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hubli, has been sanctioned.

Collaboration

He said the university is planning to undertake research projects in collaboration with various research organisations.

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