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Thursday, Feb 21, 2008
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New tobacco variety released

Staff Reporter

With yield potential of 2,750 kg per hectare
It is also a leaf-curve disease tolerant variety

DINDIGUL: Sangami, a new narrow leaf country cheroot tobacco variety, was released by the Central Tobacco Research Station at the Tamil Nadu Tobacco Variety Release Committee meeting held at Vedasandur near here on Wednesday.

Presiding over the meeting, CTRI (Rajahmundry) Director V. Krishnamurthy said this new variety, developed at Vedasandur research station, was released for the narrow leaf cheroot tobacco areas of Bhavani, Kurichi and Anthiyur in Erode district and Edapadi in Salem district.

The Vedasandur station had released 20 varieties meant for cheroot, chewing tobacco and cigar tobacco so far.

Explaining the salient features of the new variety, research station head A.V.R.S. Swamy said that the new variety had an average yield potential of 2,750 kg per hectare cured leaf with good smoking quality characters. It had also been recommended for replacement of existing variety Cultivar-I-737 based on preference of traders and farmers as well as acceptance. It was also a leaf-curve disease tolerant variety. Successful trials at plots in the research station and in farmers’ lands were very promising. Quality, flavour and taste were also very good. The research station had enhanced the yield to 2,750 kg per hectare from 1,500 kg through continuous development of new varieties, he added.

Incentives to growers

Deputy Director of Agriculture, R. Shanmuga Sundaram, listed out the incentives offered to tobacco growers by the Government. The committee comprises Aduthurai Agricultural Research Station Dean J. Jebaraj, Directorate of Tobacco Development Director (in-charge) K. Manoharan and Joint Director of Agriculture P.L. Annamalai, CTRI (Rajahmundry) Director V. Krishnamurthy and A. Muthuraman, tobacco product manufacturer.

Former head of the research station K. Palanisamy and seven progressive tobacco growers were felicitated. Ten pamphlets in English and Tamil on cultivation practices of tobacco in the State were also released for the benefit of farming community. Dr. Krishnamurthy inaugurated a stupa to mark the diamond jubilee of Vedasandur station.

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