NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Agriculture Research has identified four improved varieties of rice, beside a hybrid, for release in different agro-climatic regions of the country. The five varieties were identified during the 42nd All-India Rice Research Group Meeting held recently in Hyderabad after consideration of various proposals. More than 400 delegates comprising scientists of ICAR centres, Directors of Research of State Agriculture Universities, representatives of private sector and non-government organisations, participated in the meeting.

The farmers in the traditional basmati growing areas of Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Uttarakhand can now avail a new high-yielding rice variety. The Pusa 1460 with a yield of 37 quintals per hectare (q/ha) is suitable for irrigated-transplanted production conditions and is resistant to bacterial leaf blight. It is developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

The farmers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh can also use a new variety, RP BIO 226 which is an improved version and provides an alternative for the popular fine-grained variety, Samba Mahsuri.

The Hyderabad-based Directorate of Rice Research has developed it. It gives an average yield 46.3 q/ha and is suitable for bacterial leaf blight endemic areas in the South, and parts of Eastern and Western zones of the country where fine-grained varieties like Samba Mahsuri and Sona Mahsuri are traditionally grown.

The rice variety MTU 1075 has shown higher yield (56.3q/ha), is resistant to major diseases/pests and has excellent grain and cooking quality characteristic. MTU 1075 has been developed by Acharya N. G.Ranga Agricultural University, Andhra Pradesh.

It provides alternative/replacement for medium duration varieties during the kharif season in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The variety UPR 2870 developed by the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology has a high yield (70q/ha) potential and is expected to surpass Jaya, NDR 359 and KRH 2 in the north western region.

It has also shown superior yields in the western region. It is resistant to leaf blast, sheath rot, stem borer and leaf folder.

The Hybrid Rice International, Hyderabad, has developed a hybrid — HRI-152 — for Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The mid-early duration of this hybrid would best fit in with the rice-wheat cropping pattern, thus increasing productivity of both the crops. Also, it would help save water without reducing the yield.

It is highly tolerant to leaf blast with a potential to give average yield of 65.8 q/ha.

Rice is a staple food for two-thirds of India's population. Globally, India ranks first in cultivated area (43.6 million hectares) and second in production (91.7 million tonnes) of rice. The rice- producing states are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

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