Kerala - Palakkad   

Approval sought for high-yielding paddy varieties

PALAKKAD: Plant breeding and genetics scientist P. Chandrasekharan, who successfully developed eight high yielding PC varieties of paddy from the Palakkadan Matta, has approached the State government to approve his varieties to increase paddy production in the State.

A former Dean and Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Dr. Chandrasekharan of Ambalakkad, Palakkad, was engaged in developing rice varieties for the last 12 years. He has approached Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran to get this high yielding seeds recognised and popularised among the farmers through government agencies.

In his letter, Dr. Chandrasekharan said the varieties developed by him were cultivated by farmers across the State and they got an average yield of 6 to 8.5 tonnes per hectare.

Dr. Chandrasekharan told The Hindu here on Friday that “a total of 122 tonnes of pure seeds have been distributed to different farmers of almost all districts of Kerala. At 40 kg seed per acre (1 quintal per hectare), we have supplied pure seeds sufficient for sowing 1,220 hectares of paddy land.

Rajiv Gandhi Paddy Procurement and Marketing Society, Kottayam, took 10 tonnes of PC 1 in September-October 2005 for trial in Kuttanad. Similarly, a farmer from Kottayam took large quantity of PC 1 for cultivation, multiplying and distributing to other farmers of Alappuzha and Kottayam.

A farmer from Manathara, Alappuzha, regularly took 8 to 10 tonnes of PC 1 and other short duration varieties every season from 2005-06. Half the quantity of the total seeds is taken by Palakkad farmers every year.

So far, we have not received any complaints but only words of appreciation. Thus, Palakkad and Alappuzha districts were well represented in seed distribution, he said.

He said he wanted the seeds to be used throughout the State with the support of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and the State government so that it would benefit farmers to increase production and make paddy cultivation a profitable vocation that would ensure the food security of the State.

Dr. Chandrasekharan in his letter to Chief Minister said improvement in paddy production by introducing new varieties by plant-breeding takes time and once it is recorded, it is essential that the momentum is maintained.

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